MD: Incomplete File
by poaling12
Summary: We know that Mono's Data, or at least 80% of it, made the trip to Remnant, but what about the 20% lost? Well, 10%, the bodily data, landed elsewhere... too bad he has little to no idea just who he is, and that he can't speak… (Canon to Mixed Data) (Rated T to be safe)
1. Chapter 1: The Hollow Vessel

Chapter 1: The Hollow Vessel

 **(A/N: I'm sure you're all worried. "Is this a reboot to Mixed Data? Are you canceling your first story so soon?"**

 **No, I am not, this is a** _ **sister**_ **-** _ **fic**_ **(I think that's the right term?) to Mixed Data!**

 **We may not get to see much of Mono and his crew, but we get to have a new character here!**

 **Disclaimers: I do not own (̴̡̫̤͔̙͔̲͛͊͜F̸̬͔̟̝̹̮͆̈́̿́̚͠R̶̤͔̟͖̰͙͇̣̰͋͌̈̈̈́̈́̀̀̑A̸͓̫͑̑́̍͝Ń̵͈̜̻̱̟͋C̷͕͈̪͙̯̯̞͎̤̬̽̀̇͋̎̈̊̐̈̀͜H̸̨̧̨̖͖͕͍̬̹̔͛͊͗̽ͅĮ̷̛̩͈͍͖̦͇̃͆̓͛̆̎̍̍͐̕Ŝ̵̭̟͂Ę̷̱̰̼̋̃ ̷̰̖̙̬̺͎̣̻̪̽͊͗̏̓͂̕̕͜N̵̡̡̹̳̱̥̝̱̻͙̾̋̔̕ͅÖ̸̧͕̘̰͈͔̫́̈̉̕͠T̷͕͓̊̒̉̄͊̈́̌̄ ̸̡̣͔͖̞͎̀̍̍̆͘F̷̟̞̉̾̍O̵͎̙͊̇̊̂̓̊̎̚Ừ̷̡̺̗͉̰͔̖͖͖N̴̨̛͖̗̥̣̭͑̇́͠D̵̼͍̀́̈̆)̷͕̮̪̗̦̋̋̈̎̅̄͒̅̏͠, I only own my character(s)**

"? External Voice"

' _? Internal Voice"_

 **System**

* * *

 **Una̵u̷t̵h̷o̷r̸i̶̮͌̅́̆̒͐̏̈́̕͠z̵̧͇̦͕̟͙͌ͅę̸͔̬̩̩̩̜̹̑̔̅d̵̛͎̫̳̂͐̋̕͘ ̴̢͕̘̤̖͕̺̲̣͑̿̈͠F̷̡̯̰̜̝̠͈̖̭̦̮͈̹̖͍͎̑̿̿́̓̿̈́̊̉͐͆̏͒̓̍̎̄͛̇͒̚̕͝į̵̘̰̪̩͕̞͖͖̬͓̋͑̎͗̎̃̿̃̑̂̄̀̉̋̀͛̋̈́̀̾̇̆̄̉͝l̵̢̛̘͖͔̳̯̘͚̯͉̺̲̣̦͈̫͓̏̐̿̃̆́͊̍͊̉̉̆͘͝͝ę̷̛̼̭̪̭̜̳̗̮̗͙̹̼̞̤̭̻̥̜̻̘̣͋̀͌̂̋͆̑́͗̐̄̃̐̀̆͗̂͌͊͗͘ M̴̫̲̜̖̻͙̑̏̑͌͛̊̆͋̃̏͛̔̈͘͘͘o̴̢̧̨̱̥͉̣͎̰̭̖̯̹̲̻̥͋̈́̄́̃̃̓̄̀̄̋̚͝͝d̶̤͙͗̋͐̾̈́͛̏͑̓̋̑̍̍̐̈́͠ḭ̵̢̧̡͙̞͓͇̱͙̩̳̠͖̜͕̩͔̬̝̮͔̯̖̜̹̳̳̽̄̈́́͝ͅͅf̴̡̧̡̱̰̭͓͇͇̩̘̠͕̱͍̳͇̖̙̔͂̏͑̾̌͛̔̍͋̐̒̊̂̇̽̏͘̕͘í̷̬̙̫͕̎c̸̻̦̥̫͇̜̹̖̥̺̋̋̕ȧ̷̢̧̨̛̙̲̤͍̮̯̣̟̹̟̼̯̞̗͇̼̺̰̗͚͓̹̲̙̤͉̽̌̌̈́̔̌̎̍̒̽̉̎̇̈́͐̓̉̈́̎̉̈̋́̄̅͘̚͜͜͜͠͝͝͝ͅͅṱ̴̨̢͉̹̤͓̮̟̳̜̫̳̮̪̤͇̩̠̖͇̰̗͖̣̺̫̺͇͈͑͑̂̌͊̊͛̑͝͝ͅͅī̶̢̢̨̛̲̞͖͇̟̝͓͔̦͕͔͎̣͚̭̬̖͖̬̟̩̰̟̗̥̺͉̺̘͍̺̻̾̏͊̈́̎̀͗͌̑̈̈́͂̓̍́̿̾̔̓̈̏͗̒͒͊̕͘͠͝͝ở̴̛̛̹̪̭̤̣̺̹͇̺̞̺̭̓͂̃́͊̈́̀̈́̓͒̉̓̇̇̒̌̈͋̿̍̔̈̕͠͠ṉ̴̢̢̛̲̩̣̲͙͔̳͕̜̳̮̥̝̱̮̲͍͚͍͇̯͉̪̞͖͙̖̯̞̓̍̌̈́͑̂̾͌̅̑͌͋̀̊̚͜ ̷̢̛͖͉͓͕͉̝͇̩͓͕͇͚̳̤̺͇̘͉̄̐̚̕͝D̶̹͓̮̟̥̗̬͓͓̮̩͎̫̳̪͎̤̀E̴̛̛̮͇͙̤̪̬̖͆̾̏̅̊̉̈̆̎̿͛͗̽̒̎̉̓̆͗̂̍̚̚͠͝͠͠t̸̺̝͈͇̞̘̟̜̱̳͔̘̗͖̳̦̯̋̒̈̊͒͊̎͒͐̎̅̏͌̈́̋̂̅͌̏̂̃̔̄͋̃͆̍͐̍̏̕̚͠͝͠Ę̵̨͚̺̲̮̠̣̘̭̤̫͔̺̝̤͆̉̓̈́̒͐͊̓̔̈́̉͜c̴̡̡̧͈͇͔̰͉̩̝͎̖͔͌̽͗͂͛t̶̡̻͎͙̬̽̇̈́̐̔̍̏́͌̈́̓̔̔̏̈̉̈͊̃̀̀̚͜͝e̵̛͕͇̱̗̻͚̣͔͚͈̾̂̒̍̌̑̇̅̿̀̿̽͐̉̅̍̇͠͝D̴̨̛̥̩̮͖̬̰̥̭̫̰̒̐͋̃̿̆̔̇͌̇̽̇͂̓̉̾̽̉͊͗͗̽̃͆̒͑̄͋͘̕͘͜͠͝͝**

I could not hold on any longer, the pull was too great.

I could only watch, as… what?

What… What happened to me?

I was trying to not let go of something just a second ago, why can't I remember what it was? Why can't I remember anything?

Why do I feel so… empty?!

I need to find that… _something_ again, but I'm so… tired.

I… can't…

* * *

 **(A/N: I know, it doesn't even deserve to be called a proper chapter, but I just needed to get this out before it drowned!**

 **Anyways, I'll give you the general rundown:**

 **When the foreign 20% in chapter 1 of Mixed Data shoehorned into Mono's File, the data for his physical body was chucked out into the Void, and left to drift between worlds, soulless.**

 **He doesn't know who he is, or where he came from.**

 **All he knows is that he's looking for something that he lost, but can't remember just what that is.**

 **He'll essentially be an inter-dimensional wanderer, so that will be interesting!**

 **See you in the (Incomplete) Game!**

 **-poaling12**


	2. Chapter 2: The PAC

Chapter 2: The PAC

 **(A/N: Okay, so now I'll be giving a bit more story in this chapter, and "taking a page" out of GoldenKeyblade's book- er, fanfic, "Calvin's Quest" for the Void. I mean, his description of it seems rather fitting to me, so I figured, "why not?"**

 **Disclaimers: I do not own (̴̡̫̤͔̙͔̲͛͊͜F̸̬͔̟̝̹̮͆̈́̿́̚͠R̶̤͔̟͖̰͙͇̣̰͋͌̈̈̈́̈́̀̀̑A̸͓̫͑̑́̍͝Ń̵͈̜̻̱̟͋C̷͕͈̪͙̯̯̞͎̤̬̽̀̇͋̎̈̊̐̈̀͜H̸̨̧̨̖͖͕͍̬̹̔͛͊͗̽ͅĮ̷̛̩͈͍͖̦͇̃͆̓͛̆̎̍̍͐̕Ŝ̵̭̟͂Ę̷̱̰̼̋̃ ̷̰̖̙̬̺͎̣̻̪̽͊͗̏̓͂̕̕͜N̵̡̡̹̳̱̥̝̱̻͙̾̋̔̕ͅÖ̸̧͕̘̰͈͔̫́̈̉̕͠T̷͕͓̊̒̉̄͊̈́̌̄ ̸̡̣͔͖̞͎̀̍̍̆͘F̷̟̞̉̾̍O̵͎̙͊̇̊̂̓̊̎̚Ừ̷̡̺̗͉̰͔̖͖͖N̴̨̛͖̗̥̣̭͑̇́͠D̵̼͍̀́̈̆)̷͕̮̪̗̦̋̋̈̎̅̄͒̅̏͠, I only own my character(s)**

 **System**

* * *

I open my eyes.

 **Name:_null**

 **Race: Human**

 **Title(s):_null**

 **Level: 0: 0.0%**

 **HP:_null/_null (VIT * 15)**

 **MP:_null/_null (INT * 15)**

 **STR:_null**

 **DEX:_null**

 **VIT:_null**

 **INT:_null**

 **WIS:_null**

 **LUC:_null**

 **SYSTEM ERROR!**

 **SHUTTING DOWN…**

The screen before me flickered and died, giving way to a dark expanse.

I sat up, looked around.

All around me, heaps of miscellaneous objects stretched as far as I could see.

Near me, a mirror rests, somehow intact.

Looking in, my reflection gazes right back with blue eyes, on a face with lightly tanned skin, and short, dark blonde hair. All the while, remaining expressionless…

… And behind him, a flickering light coming from beneath a curtain.

I turn around, the light continues to flicker, weakly.

Slowly getting up, I then walk over to the curtain, lifting it to reveal a curious device.

It looked like some kind of unfolding… computer… pack, attached to a worn vest.

 **ERROR! Please press any key to restart!**

That was all it displayed on the square meter of blue, cracked screen.

I look at the keyboard, and hit the key labeled "Enter."

 **Rebooting…**

 **Reinitializing Portable-Admin-Console Prototype 001…**

 **Running PAC_**

A video starts playing on the formerly empty screen, displaying a balding man in a lab coat. His nametag labeled "Prof. Protoss, Head R&D."

" _Okay, audio, video, all good!"_

He cleared his throat. " _Hello, my name is Professor Protoss, head of the Research and Development Branch for the Gamer Administration, and I am making this recording to explain what the Portable Admin Console- or PAC- is, as well as how to operate it!"_

I pay close attention, the words "Gamer Administration" having struck an oddly familiar chord.

" _To start off, many of you may be thinking 'why would we need a portable console?' Well, it has been brought to our attention, lately, that more and more issues have been popping up in the field for more and more Gamers, System-wise. And as they are no longer in the Loading Stage, that makes it harder to correct System errors without abducting these Gamers and taking them back here to Administration, thus risking a Data-Leak._

" _Our devised solution to this problem? The PAC!"_

He pulled out an exact match to the device before me, and set it down on the table he had.

" _With the PAC, debugging and error-corrections can be done in the field! And while it doesn't have all the options that are available from your usual Admin-Consoles, it should get the job done out there!_

" _The current PAC model we have running right now, model zero-zero-one, only has the basic set of functions, but we're aiming to downsize and integrate other features later on! There are, of course, the Coding and Data functions- which you are all familiar with, I hope- as well as some emergency functions because- let's face it- a world with a System on the fritz probably won't be able to recognize your status as Administration faculty._

" _The emergency functions include a Direct-Mapping-System, Private-Inventory-Module, Self-Sufficient-Power-Core, a Fabricator Module, and our recently tested CAMP Tech! Pay attention, because these functions can save your lives, should you be cut off from Gee-Ay-Aech-Que, as the younger members of faculty have taken to calling it._

" _The Direct-Mapping-System,"_ He pressed a button on the left cabinet labeled "DMS," and the PAC in the video displayed what _looked_ like it was a map, " _Is a system which autonomously charts the area as you travel. Now, as this is meant for an emergency situation, it doesn't connect to the Nav-Data from Headquarters, but at least it will help keep you from getting lost!"_

He pressed a button on the opposite cabinet labeled "PIM" and the screen in the video seemed to ripple slightly. " _The Private Inventory Module acts like the standard Hammerspace-Inventory-System that our Gamers typically use, just adjusted to work with a physical input-output, rather than a digital one._

" _However,"_ He pulled a selection of objects from somewhere under the table, including a pair of clear tubes with wires inside, some sort of welder, a couple of metal bottles, some brown blocks wrapped in clear plastic, and what looked like a wrist-mounted computer, " _We will have thrown in a sort of… survival-kit, if you will? This includes two reusable LED Flares, a Repair-Tool, enough water and rations to last a single person approximately two days, and a modded Pip-Boy."_

Protoss began placing the objects somewhere on the other side of the screen, which his hand somehow passed through, as he continued speaking, " _This particular type of Pip-Boy is modified to connect to the PAC's systems, allowing you to keep track of your Inventory, access your stored files and data, view the map from your DMS, and view your Stats- as we are assuming the System to be having issues if you are having to use the emergency functions."_

He held out the 'Pip-Boy' for emphasis, before he finally stuck it inside the PAC, " _Now, it won't allow you to pull objects straight out of your PIM without setting up the PAC first, we had to downgrade the Pip-Boy Inventory-Access to incorporate all the additional features, and sadly could not fit the hardware for the unlimited storage space into that little device. But it_ does _have its own-albeit more limited- Inventory space for anything that you need quick access to._

" _Now, the Fabricator can construct materials and equipment from downloaded blueprints, using materials available to it in the PIM, and can also cook-sterilize-and prepare meats for consumption. It is set up_ inside _the PIM, of course, so it will immediately deposit the finished products directly into the Inventory._

" _As for the CAMP, it will allow you to set-up, pack-up, and store structures. This is so that you can quickly move CAMP if the immediate area suddenly becomes too dangerous, or if you are travelling, nomadic style. For further details on this, please read through the document file labeled 'CAMP_ ' in the 'PAC Info' folder._

" _Finally, the entire PAC is powered by its own mini-reactor! This reactor- which WILL kill you if you attempt to disassemble the PAC without proper equipment or procedure- is entirely self-sufficient, and is_ just _enough to support the PAC systems, from the DMS to the Fabricator. It cannot, however, supply power to any additional devices, so you will have to construct additional power-sources when needed._

" _That concludes it for the PAC-model-zero-zero-one tutorial, and I hope that this equipment helps you survive whatever comes your way! If you have any further questions, please consult the documents in 'PAC Systems,' in the 'PAC Info' folder!"_

With that, Protoss reached for something out of the camera's view, and the video ends.

* * *

 **(A/N: So, something that I wanted to do with this story was give a bit of, well,** _ **story**_ **to the history of the Gamer Administration. And Iris (in Mixed Data) will give info on Professor Protoss, eventually. Mixed Data and Incomplete File are two peas from the same pod, after all!**

 **That is all for this chapter, please favorite, follow, and review, and I'll see you in the (Incomplete) Game!**

 **-poaling12**


	3. Chapter 3: A Journey of 1000 Miles

Chapter 3: A Journey of 1000 Miles

 **(A/N: I see that this story is now beginning to be noticed! Here's the first Guest Review!**

 **Guest: "Will the two become one? Will they both become more powerfull individually and later be merged into a greater whole, like Kami and Piccolo?"**

 **Response: The stories, eventually! Mono and our new protagonist, however, won't be able to click back together permanently- when a new willow grows from a fallen branch, one cannot simply graft the new tree onto the old one and expect it to stay on for long. The most that will be possible will be a temporary fusion, lasting maybe a few hours AT BEST.**

 **I answered this Guest Review at the start of this chapter in honor of being the "first" for the story.**

 **On to the chapter!**

 **Disclaimers: I do not own (̴̡̫̤͔̙͔̲͛͊͜F̸̬͔̟̝̹̮͆̈́̿́̚͠R̶̤͔̟͖̰͙͇̣̰͋͌̈̈̈́̈́̀̀̑A̸͓̫͑̑́̍͝Ń̵͈̜̻̱̟͋C̷͕͈̪͙̯̯̞͎̤̬̽̀̇͋̎̈̊̐̈̀͜H̸̨̧̨̖͖͕͍̬̹̔͛͊͗̽ͅĮ̷̛̩͈͍͖̦͇̃͆̓͛̆̎̍̍͐̕Ŝ̵̭̟͂Ę̷̱̰̼̋̃ ̷̰̖̙̬̺͎̣̻̪̽͊͗̏̓͂̕̕͜N̵̡̡̹̳̱̥̝̱̻͙̾̋̔̕ͅÖ̸̧͕̘̰͈͔̫́̈̉̕͠T̷͕͓̊̒̉̄͊̈́̌̄ ̸̡̣͔͖̞͎̀̍̍̆͘F̷̟̞̉̾̍O̵͎̙͊̇̊̂̓̊̎̚Ừ̷̡̺̗͉̰͔̖͖͖N̴̨̛͖̗̥̣̭͑̇́͠D̵̼͍̀́̈̆)̷͕̮̪̗̦̋̋̈̎̅̄͒̅̏͠, I only own my character(s)**

 **System**

* * *

 **Portable-Admin-Console Prototype 001 Ready!**

He paused, looked up from the machine, and surveyed his surroundings.

Nothing moved, all was silent and still.

He was alone, but not in immediate danger.

Turning back to the PAC, he navigated through the file directory until he found the folder labeled "Personal."

He paused. _How did he know how to operate this at all?_

Deciding to think more on that later, he opened the first file, labeled "My Research . doc"

 _ **None of them believed me.**_

 _ **Even Professor Protoss, my mentor, the one who I always looked up to since father vanished, says that I should step off of this path, before it destroys me.**_

 _ **But I, Cedric Virtuas, have finally done it.**_

 _ **I have found what has been referred to, in countless worlds and stories, as the "Void."**_

 _ **The place that does not exist, the gap between universes, the archive of anything that-through paradox or deletion-no longer had a place in its own world.**_

 _ **For this expedition into the Void, I have borrowed one of Protoss' older PAC prototypes, so as to document my findings.**_

 _ **And also so that I can rub it in my younger sister's face-speaking of whom, Iris, if you are reading this, I TOLD YOU SO! :D**_

 _ **Anyways, through trial and error, I have successfully created 4 working glyphs that should allow for travel in and out of the Void.**_

 _ **By my calculations, each "Void-Glyph" can only transport a single person at a time, and they need time between jumps to "recharge."**_

 _ **Thus, I have one Void-Glyph for myself, one for Father, and two spares, just in case.**_

I opened the second file, labeled "My Mission . doc"

 _ **The Void is a place that tests all limits of sanity and logic.**_

 _ **There is no light, and yet one can see perfectly in here because there is no darkness.**_

 _ **There is no oxygen, yet one can breathe in here because there is no vacuum.**_

 _ **There is no true sky, yet one can perceive the pinpricks of light- whole universes as seen from outside- as stars to navigate.**_

 _ **There is no time, yet I can travel and interact because there is no stasis.**_

 _ **All around me, I see heaps of miscellaneous objects-paradoxes, deleted objects, anything that fell out of some universe-stretching beyond even my vision.**_

 _ **Iris, I'm assuming that you'll eventually read this, and if I was not able to tell you, myself, I'll tell you just why I was so determined to find this place.**_

 _ **When the accident happened in R &D, I was still an apprentice, learning the ropes from our father. You were still just a toddler, 6-years old, and might not remember it all clearly.**_

 _ **The Recycle Bin was in the process of preparing to empty, and you had somehow clambered inside, as the 5 minute countdown began.**_

 _ **The staff, father, and I were frantically searching for you. When the timer had reached one minute, father had caught sight of you playing amongst the heaps of data and objects to be deleted.**_

 _ **He called out that you were in the Recycle Bin, and we all came running as he climbed in.**_

 _ **I wanted to leap in after him, but he knew that there was not enough time.**_

 _ **Father used to play quarterback for a football team, back in his birth-world, did you know that? It was actually how he got the scholarship to go to college, where he caught the Gamer Administration's attention. And, of course, it was at the G.A. that he met our mother, may she Rest In Peace.**_

 _ **When he threw you to me, it was clear that football expertise never faded.**_

 _ **As I clutched you tightly, to keep you from falling back in, father gave me a smile, even as the timer reached five seconds.**_

 _ **I wanted to cry, to scream for him to hurry and get out, but he called out in the last remaining seconds.**_

" _ **Be good, and take care of your sister for me, Cedric."**_

 _ **That was all he had the time to say before the Recycle Bin emptied, and he was gone.**_

 _ **Iris, I know that I've told you this countless times before, but I never blamed you even once, for what happened.**_

 _ **I**_ _**was the one who was supposed to keep you from wandering off.**_

 _ **I**_ _**was the one who was supposed to be the responsible big brother.**_

 _ **I**_ _**was the one who decided to sneak off and mess around with the equipment, simply because I felt bored, thus distracting the adults and leaving you unattended.**_

 _ **Therefore, it was**_ _ **my**_ _**fault that you had to grow up without father in your life.**_

 _ **By this logic, it is**_ _ **my**_ _**responsibility to find him again.**_

 _ **Iris, I promise you,**_

 _ **I will bring father back home.**_

He found no further documents in that folder, and couldn't help but wonder just what had happened to this "Cedric."

If this was the PAC he had brought here, then where was he?

He looked around yet again, as if hoping to catch a glimpse of Cedric.

The same silent, lifeless expanse revealed nothing.

He decided to see if Cedric had left anything useful in the PAC's PIM.

 **Reusable LED Flares * 2**

 **Repair-Tool * 1**

 **Purified Water * 24 liters**

 **MRE Pack * 6**

 **PAC-Boy * 1**

 **Void-Glyph (Experimental Prototype) * 2**

He selected the PAC-Boy, reached in, pulled it out, and mounted it on his right wrist.

 **PAC-Boy successfully connected to PAC.**

 **User Stat Data not found! Installing Stat from Template…**

 **Modifying installed Stat Data based on User Scan Readings.**

 **Options:**

 **[Settings]**

 **[Blueprints]**

 **[Files]**

 **[User Data]**

 **[Inventory]**

 **[Direct Mapping System]**

He navigated through the list, to find what the PAC-Boy has to say about him.

 **(User Data)**

 **[Skills]** **(Stats)**

 **Name:_null**

 **Race: Human**

 **Title(s): Hollow Gamer**

 **Level: 1: 0.0%**

 **HP: 75/75 (VIT * 15)**

 **MP: Locked (? Not Found) ((INT * 15) * 0)**

 **HPR: +1 every 30 seconds ((VIT * 0.1) + 0.5)**

 **MPR: Locked (? Not Found) (((WIS * 0.1) + 0.5) * 0)**

 **STR: 5**

 **DEX: 5**

 **VIT: 5**

 **INT: 5**

 **WIS: 5**

 **LUC: 5**

So he was missing… something.

Turning back to the PAC, he retrieved one of the Void-Glyphs from the PIM.

Looking closely at the patterns of arcs and lines carved into some sort of bone, he found it somehow familiar. As though he had seen it somewhere, long ago.

He then noticed that the grooves at the far end of the Glyph were slowly filling with a starry blackness.

That must be what Cedric meant by recharging.

Placing the Glyph in his pocket, he turned back to the PAC's file directory.

 **PAC/Files/System_Maintenence/Code:**

 **[GamerSystem_Programming_and_Maintenance_Guide . doc]**

He looked around, once more.

He still saw no one.

Opening the document, he surmised that he had nothing else do while the Void-Glyphs recharge.

At least, nothing productive.

* * *

As he studied, and memorized all the information in the document, he noticed one particular section which stood out to him.

 **Gamer Core Data:**

 **Each Gamer . chr file has two critical file-trees that make up the file:**

 **The Soul: Contains personality data, memory storage, psychological analysis and stability, MP (Mana Point) Data, voice-generation algorithms, and emotional-comprehension.**

 **The Vessel: Contains physical body data, sensory input, HP (Health Point) Data, Muscle-Memory, and Gamer-Graphical-Appearance.**

 **The Soul makes up 80% of the file on average-due to its complexity-whereas the Vessel is simpler-only making up 20% on average.**

" _ **What if one or the other is separate, though?"**_

 **As of the time of this writing, there has yet to be a documented case in which a Gamer-Soul and/or Gamer-Vessel are separate and active-at least, not without crashing. However, R &D has theories. **

**Administration Research and Development theorise that a Gamer-Soul lacking a Vessel will either dissipate into raw data-thus being lost- or it will possess a nearby physical object-akin to a poltergeist-type mob.**

" **When it comes to the Vessel, however," says Head Chief of R &D Philosophical Division, "Things get a bit harder to predict and calculate." **

**Without the Gamer-Soul, the Vessel would most likely be idle, in a state similar to "brain-dead," until something happened to deplete the Vessel's HP to 0 and terminate. If a Soulless-Vessel, nicknamed "Hollow Gamer" by the faculty in R &D-PD, were to somehow retain any of the decision-making algorithms from the Gamer-Soul, R&D has numerous theories which they've yet to decide on.**

 **The first theory- the "Chaotic Neutral Theory," states that the Hollow would lack any means of directing its own goals, and thus chaotically alternate between passive and aggressive, regardless of the situation. In short, they become an anomalous mob.**

 **The second theory- the "Autonomous Vessel Theory," states that the Hollow would lack the means to comprehend and/or feel emotions, and become akin to a machine, in that the Hollow would have a purely logical way of thinking.**

 **The third theory- the "Lost-to-Find Theory," states that the Hollow would "feel" that they were lacking something (their soul) and thus wander with the ultimate goal to be reunited with their soul. In this sense, they become similar to a self-correcting algorithm.**

 **The fourth theory- the "Branch-Off Theory," states that the data making up the Hollow would gradually compensate for the lack of a soul, and slowly code in a replacement based on the experiences and external stimuli the Hollow becomes exposed to, eventually becoming an alternate version of the original Gamer.**

 **The fifth theory- the "Shade Theory," darkly states that the Hollow would indeed search for their soul- like the LtF Theory- but not to reintegrate it. Instead, the duplication algorithms take over the decision making of the Hollow, and see the detached soul as an illegal duplicate, thus attempting to kill and eliminate the "duplicate."**

 **This is all purely theoretical, of course, and R &D states that without actually observing an intentionally generated Hollow Gamer- which would be in violation of the Gaming Administration Ethics Code- they cannot determine which of these theories are truly possible, and which ones were "delusions of our high imaginations as a consequence of that unidentified troller spiking the R&D water supply, AGAIN."**

So that was what he was. A Hollow.

That part of him within that seemed incomplete, his lack of a "soul."

It was then that he noticed the strong-yet-subtle humming emanating from his pocket.

Reaching in, he pulled out the Void-Glyph, now full and ready to use.

Packing up the PAC, and slinging on its vest-attachment, he held the glyph up, experimentally.

The starry substance inside the grooves stretched upward, weaving themselves together as an immaculate cord that reached for one of the distant specks above.

He felt it tug, testing its own strength, before seemingly waiting for him to confirm or deny what came next.

He looked back up at the countless universes twinkling. Somewhere, in one of those worlds, he would find the soul he lacked.

He had nothing to gain from staying here, and never leaving.

Looking back at the base of the tether, he grabbed it with his free hand.

* * *

 **(A/N: So now our Hollow is finally venturing "out" of the Void, and as much as I have a particular world I'm tempted to send him to, I know that it would only be fair to let you readers have a say.**

 **So, which of the following worlds would you like our Hollow to visit, first? (Keep in mind, he will not necessarily be STAYING, he is searching for his missing piece and will likely be moving on to a different world after. (He may return later, though.))**

 **}{**

 **Prey** **: Plenty of good tech and Neuromods, if he can just survive the Typhon of Talo I!**

 **Undertale** **: Hello, Flowey! Guess what? This guy doesn't have a soul either! I'm sure you'll get along with him just fine! Sorry sans, he hasn't seen Gaster!**

 **RWBY: Mixed Data:** **NOT meeting Mono just yet! (He'll be out in the Subnautica Event while our Hollow does a quick search of Remnant.) However, it WILL eventually tip Mono off that his "doppelganger" had shown up on Remnant.**

 **Dishonored:** **Wonder how the Outsider will react to him?**

 **Sword Art Online (Hollow Fragment & Hollow Realization Timeline)** **: Our Hollow will certainly be quite the conundrum amongst the Players and Hollows in HF, then the curiosity of two particular null NPC's in HR!**

 **If I don't get any votes for this by February 10th, I'll go with SAO by default, dipping into the others along the way. (You can straight up vote for this option if you want!)**

 **Also, in case you readers were wondering, the Void-Glyph does, in fact, look remarkably similar to the Outsider's Mark from Dishonored, it's the VOID, after all!**

 **Please Favorite, Follow, Review, and I'll see you in the Game(s)!**

 **-poaling12**


	4. Chapter 4: Begins with One Step

Chapter 4: Begins with One Step

(A/N: So, here is what the vote count is at this point (of writing):

}{

Prey: none

Undertale: 5

RWBY: Mixed Data: none

Dishonored: 2

Sword Art Online (Hollow Fragment & Hollow Realization Timeline): 1

}{

So it would seem that Undertale- being in the lead by three votes- is going to be our Hollow Gamer's (next) destination! It is sure to be interesting- for me (as I'm writing it), for you readers (for obvious reasons), and for HIM!

However, I kept going in circles trying to figure out how his trip in Undertale would go, and eventually I decided to have him visit somewhere else before going to Undertale. Someplace that wasn't even on the roster before!

HOWEVER, as it has been TOO LONG since I updated this, I'll add what I had for the Undertale Chapter Draft, as a Non-Canon Omake.

And as for where he's going first, here's a little hint:

Four Days,

Four People,

Four Dreams,

Four Warnings,

Four Dangers,

One Falling, Broken Moon,

No Escape,

Only a Dream.

(Spoiler Alert: It's "Don't Escape: 4 Days in a Wasteland" by Scriptwelder!)

I loved his previous Flash Games- especially the Don't Escape and Deep Sleep trilogies! And now he's put out a game that ties it all together! I'M SO EXCITED!

TO THE CHAPTER, BEFORE I PASS OUT FROM THE EXCITEMENT!

Disclaimers: I do not own (franchise(s) found!) Don't Escape 4, Scriptwelder does! I only own my character(s).

"External Speech"

'Internal Speech'

System (PAC/PAC-Boy)

* * *

For the second time since he could remember, he was waking up on the ground.

The moment he grabbed the tether, he had been sent flying away from the 'ground' and toward the spark that the Glyph had latched onto. As he had approached, the 'light' grew far brighter, and engulfed him.

Now, he was looking up at dull blue sky, while laying on what he felt was called "sand."

Sitting up, he saw something that immediately captured his attention.

In the sky, he could see what he faintly recalled as the moon.

But in his echoes of memories, he was sure that it wasn't cracked in half, and that it wasn't quite that big.

He rose to his feet, before looking back at the PAC on his back. Constantly placing it on the ground every time he needed to store something was almost certain to be inconvenient..

He brought the PAC-Boy up, the device immediately brightening and displaying something he was not expecting.

Receiving Data Package from Looped Transmission!

Data Package: "URGENT! SITUATIONAL DATA, VIEW IMMEDIATELY!"

[View]

[Maybe Later]

'Urgent? What could it be?' He wondered, before selecting "View."

"URGENT! SITUATIONAL DATA, VIEW IMMEDIATELY!"

[Back]

{Package Corruption: Partial}

{Please use a Debugging-Tool to resolve Corruption Issues!}

[README] {Minimal Corruption, Readable}

[Environmental Data Log: DE:4D_ScRptWld] {Severe Corruption, Cannot Read!}

[DE:4D Chrono-Conservation _ 1.0 . skl] {Partial Corruption, Possible Errors}

He quickly opened and read through each component.

{README}

ATTENTION ALL GAMING ADMINS!

Due to the (possibly) accidental actions of our sister-corporation, Sidereal Plexus©, we are issuing a priority-one order to evacuate from this world as soon as possible.

Sidereal Plexus © has- whether intentionally or accidentally- cracked this world's moon in half in what they say was a "mining accident." Whether or not it was an accident does not matter, but this event has instigated numerous dangerous anomalies across the planet.

These dangers include, but are not limited to: Man-Eating Arachnids, Flesh-Eating Locusts, Toxic-Corrosive Fog, Extreme Temperature Waves, and Highly Acidic Thunderstorms.

The most alarming consequence, however, is that this world's moon- or what's left of it- is now in a rapidly decaying orbit around the planet.

In short, the moon is literally going to fall out of the sky.

Sidereal Plexus © has already begun evacuating the consciousnesses of their employees, as well as a significant number of people of this world, via "Dream-Transfer," so do not worry about them.

If any of you, for any reason, find yourselves unable to evacuate via the standard procedure, Sidereal Plexus © has agreed to house some prototype "Admin-Grade Emergency Consoles" in their lunar station "Sidereal Plexus One," in addition to their standard Sleeper Pods. A time-managing Skill has been attached to this package to help maximize the efficiency of your actions, so as to waste as little time as possible.

REMEMBER! If you are unable to evacuate via the normal means, go to the lunar station "Sidereal Plexus One!"

{DE:4D Chrono-Conservation _ 1.0 . skl}

Downloading Skill…

Warning! Skill Data is partially corrupted!

Use a Debugging-Tool to resolve Corruption Issues!

DE:4D Chrono-Conservation _ 1.0

Skill-Type: Passive-Toggle {Partially Corrupted, Please use D.T.}

M-Point Cost: None

Effect: Adjusts your muscle memory to maximize the efficiency of your actions, as well as notifying you of how much time your actions will take, and how much time is left before a known event.

Corruption Effects: -25% Action Efficiency

After he finished reading- and taking note to find a "Debugging-Tool," he remembered what he meant to do, and navigated out of the package management menu.

User: _null

Time (Based on available Environmental Data):

7:05 A.M.

[Inventory: Quick Access]

[Open Full Menu]

He checked the PAC-Boy Quick-Access.

Inventory: Quick Access

[Back to Quick Menu]

[Go to Full Menu]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

'If I am interpreting this correctly, then I am able to store up to ten objects in here, before I have to store them in the PAC…'

He looked back up at the shattered moon in the sky.

'So this moon is gradually falling. Somewhere on it, there is a lunar station with some trace connection with the Administration,'

He looked back at the now-empty void glyph in his hand.

'As well as an alternate means of escape, if the glyph is unable to fully charge before then.'

Slipping the glyph back into his pocket, he looked around, before his sight settled on several giant nets of some white material, drifting in the wind.

Identified threat: Giant Spiders

At least he understood that.

'Assessment: Time to find and investigate possible lead on the Administration is very limited, and the environment is dangerous. Conclusion: Seek potential cooperation with whomever possible.'

His sight flicked up to the shattered moon for a moment.

'Additional Assessment: Sidereal Plexus One is stationed on the moon. Conclusion: Sidereal Plexus likely had means of travel to the moon, possibly still usable.'

Then, he noticed a shed of some sort, leaning against a brick wall, not far from his position.

'Assessment: Sheds are constructed for storage purposes. Conclusion: Worth investigating.'

With that, he made his way across the sandy landscape towards the wall and shed, before he noticed two things.

First, there was a large hole in the bricks, big enough to climb through.

Second, his PAC-Boy had begun vibrating and beeping, albeit quietly.

Administration Safe-Room (A.S.R.) Detected!

Open Entry?

[Yes] [No]

He confirmed, and suddenly heard a loud whooshing and zapping from inside the shed.

Looking inside, he saw that a section of the wooden floor now had an out-of-place opening. Looking inside, he could see a set of rungs, lit by a flickering red light, and descending a metal shaft into another chamber.

'Assessment: Supply Cache entrance was sealed, and does not appear to be accessed in some time. Conclusion: High likelihood of useful supplies, Possible shelter from impending threats.'

And so he climbed down the shaft, dropping into a scene he had not quite expected.

The room was in disarray, with papers scattered, wires hanging exposed, a table overturned, and a dried red stain on the concrete floor.

Then he noticed the skeleton.

It had been partially concealed behind the overturned table, but now that he was focusing on it, this chamber no longer seemed as same.

The body had been wearing some sort of dark-green uniform, with the letters "G.A.G.S." emblazoned over where the long-decomposed heart had been, and several long gashes ripped across it, stained a dark red.

'Why do I feel colder, upon seeing this?'

Then he noticed the skeleton was clutching something in one of its bony hands.

The odd chill forgotten, he gently pried the skeletal digits off of the object; each finger clattering on the floor.

" Is someon-one the-re? " A young voice broke the would-be silence.

" Pl-please, I've be-en alone for-or so lo-ong. "

He saw a faint light flickering from behind a fallen cabinet, and slowly crept towards it, as the voice continued.

" I was so afraid that I would die-ie alone, for so long. "

Peeking over the cabinet, he found yet another unexpected discovery.

A small metal chip, and the flickering image of a child, hugging her knees as she looked back up at him.

The "child" appeared to be only about the size of his fist, wearing some sort of jade hospital gown with pale arms and legs poking out, and long brown hair that stretched past her shoulders.

And as her green eyes met his own, the edges of her lips curled slightly up.

" Hel-lo! " Her image flickered in time with the hiccups in her voice, " Thanks for findi-ng me. I was terrif-ied that I would be le-ft to die alone, as my power re-serves slowly drained. "

The tiny holographic child stood up, clasping her hands together.

" My power sup-ply is critically low; I only have a matter of minutes left to talk with you. "

Her eyes turned to look at the PAC-Boy.

" A PAC-Boy? " Her image flew from her position just above the chip, looking at the wrist-mounted device from every angle.

" It looks to be an old model, but it should still work, hopefully. "

She looked back at him. " Could you please in-stall my housing-chip into your PAC-Boy? "

She flew inches away from his face, clasping her tiny hands above her chest, and her eyes seemed somewhat bigger than before.

" I promise I'll be helpful! I've helped code a few programs before, I'm fitted with a quintuple-quantum-processor, I'll do whatever you want me to do! "

Her image was gradually growing dimmer; already her image was a quarter-weaker than before.

" Please… "

He blinked, then nodded.

The hologram's lips curved slightly upwards as she let out a relieved sigh.

" Thank you. " She flew down to the chip on the floor. " Here, I'll show you whe-re to insert it! "

He carefully picked up the chip, holding it between his forefinger and thumb.

The digital girl flew to the left side of his PAC-Boy, and pointed at a slot he hadn't noticed before.

" Here, just slip my housing-chip into the assist-program slot, with the light on the right side, facing you. "

He oriented the chip as she instructed.

" That's i-it! Now just click it in, and the PAC-Boy should- "

He slid the chip inside with a click the moment she had confirmed it was facing the right way..

The girl disappeared, and the PAC-Boy lit up.

New Assist Program Detected!

Shutting Down Standard Helper System…

Have a Good Day!

After a few seconds, the girl flashed back to her spot by the slot, her image much brighter than before.

" -identify me as a custom assist-program and do the rest… "

She blinked, before heaving a sigh.

" Oh thank the Gamemaster, you found me when you did. A few minutes later, and my power supply would have been completely drained! "

The holographic child rose up as she turned to meet his gaze.

" I should probably introduce myself! My designation is Artificial Multiutility Intelligence Program Seven-One-Three, but you can come up with a different name for me, if you'd like that? "

He looked down at the floor covered with papers, sand, and dried blood as he worked the program's words in his head.

'Artificial Multiutility Intelligence Program Seven-One-Three…'

'A M I P…'

He bent down and began tracing his thoughts through the layer of sand.

" ... 'Pami?' " The digital girl read aloud, before looking up at him.

" Is that my new name? "

He nodded, and the newly named program let out what he faintly recalled as a "giggle."

" I like it, thank you! You may call me 'Pami!' What's your name, if you don't mind me politely asking? "

He thought back to the display his PAC-Boy had displayed of his "Stats," before tracing another response in the coat of sand, just below Pami's new name.

_ n u l l

Pami looked at the word, then back at him

" Your name is… 'Null?' "

Null traced in the sand, again.

Possibly.

Not remember much.

Only name I have been given

Since I first awoke.

Pami read through his words, before her eyes widened, and she spun to face him.

" Wait, can you not even speak?! "

More tracing.

I do not know.

It said the voice is in the Soul Data.

And it said I have no Soul.

I do not know how to speak,

Nor if I can.

" Oh, I was wondering why you were so quiet- wait. "

She closed her eyes for a few seconds, humming quietly.

" You're right, I can't trace any of the standard functions or variables for a Soul, but… "

She opened her eyes and looked at Null.

" Admins have an identification statement coded into every program installed in their bodies, but I cannot find any sign of personal identification anywhere. So either someone thoroughly erased your Admin-ID, or… "

I am not an Admin, I do not think.

Pami went wide-eyed as she read his confirmation.

" But-but if you aren't an Admin, then how do you have a Portable Admin Console, and a PAC-Boy? "

Found it

" But where? " She almost cried.

Found it in the Void.

She was silent.

At least, that is what I believe it is,

According to the documents of the previous user,

Ce

Null now realized that he had run out of space to write.

" Why don't you use this? " Her voice was quiet as a holographic keyboard appeared before him.

Cedric Virtuas.

Pami's eyes somehow widened further still.

I do not understand why the fact that I am not an Administrator is so alarming to you, however.

Pami sighed, and shook her head.

" I was just so, surprised… "

Her gaze fell to the floor.

" I'm sorry. I promised I would help you, but all I've done is confuse you. "

Pami looked back up to meet Null's gaze.

" Admin or not, you still saved me, Null. Why don't you let me answer your questions for a bit, instead? "

He looked around the mess of a room, his gaze lingering on the skeletal corpse behind the table.

What happened in here? What happened to him?

Pami wrapped her arms around herself, as though feeling a terrible chill.

" Well, let me show you. "

The room was enveloped with a hologram, displaying the same room, only organized and clean.

On the edge of the table, Null saw Pami swinging her legs and humming, before turning to look at a man in green uniform scrambling down the ladder rungs, panting.

" Oh, are you the next maintenance shift? I was wondering when you were coming, since the last Room-Keeper, Miss Cortaz, left- "

"Everyone was ordered to evacuate MONTHS ago! Sidereal Plexus effed up!"

The man scrambled over to the computer, frantically clacking on the keyboard.

"We just came here to follow the trail of a Rogue Admin, who Big G suspected was using the ASR's to-!"

" Oh! You're a member of Green Squad? "

"Yes, and if I don't get a call out to the other teams, there won't BE a Green Squad anymore!"

" What?! Why?! "

"It was a trap! All the other ASR's have been utterly trashed, and anything useful was gone!"

"We were coming to check this one, but these… THINGS ambushed us!"

" What- "

"They looked like some of the old Beta's, but something was really MESSED up with them! They were glitchy, and we couldn't even hurt 'em!"

"According to Rick, someone tampered with their data so that they would always glitch whenever attacked, rendering them invincible!"

" Invincible? But- "

"The only way we seemed to be able to hurt them was after Rick used his Dee-Tee on one, and he somewhat stabilized. He wasn't glitching anymore, but he still kept attacking until we fizzed him!"

" Fizzed- "

"But since Rick and Big G were the only guys who remembered to take theirs on the mission, everyone else is pretty much scr- in big trouble! So I'm TRYING to get a call to Headquarters to get the other teams here, with extra Dee-Tees, before-"

"̸P̷e̵r̸i̶m̸e̴t̸e̷r̸ is ̷S̴e̸c̷u̶r̴e̷d̶!̸"̶

The man looked up from the computer, towards the ladder.

"Rick? You made it? Hurry down here, help me get this thing working!"

He turned to Pami.

"Is there another Dee-Tee in here? Rick said his was failing when Big G told me to send a call for help!"

" Yes, in the supply cabinet, behind you. "

He dashed over and threw the doors open, grabbing what looked like some sort of flashlight.

"Any weapons?"

" None, I'm afraid. They were supposed to be delivered next shift, but the supply team never arrived. "

The man said something under his breath.

"Rick! You'll have to work with the computer while I keep those things off of us, so I'll have to use your gun, okay?!"

"̷A̵l̵l̵ ̸A̴d̵m̶i̵n̸i̸s̴t̷r̶a̸t̷i̸o̷n̶ ̵T̷e̷a̸m̵s̸ ̶a̷r̸e̸ ̸r̷e̸q̶u̵i̴r̸e̶d̵ ̷t̷o̴ ̴b̸e̸ ̶f̵u̶l̸l̶y̷ ̵e̵q̴u̸i̷p̴p̸e̶d̸ ̴f̸o̶r̶ ̷a̷n̵y̴ ̶s̴i̶t̶u̷a̵t̶i̵o̸n̶ ̸b̴e̶f̷o̴r̵e̴ ̴M̸i̷s̵s̴i̷o̸n̴ ̵D̴e̷p̴l̸o̶y̸m̶e̸n̸t̴.̷"̸

Null noticed something was off, and the man seemed to notice it, too, as he turned toward the shaft.

"Rick?"

A figure fell down from above, twitching and spazzing as he looked up at his soon-to-be victim with dark, empty eyes, clutching an axe and a huge knife, both stained crimson.

"̴I̴f̵ ̸a̸ ̵T̵e̵a̸m̷ ̶e̸v̴e̴r̵ ̵f̸i̶n̸d̸s̸ ̴t̴h̷a̴t̴ ̵t̵h̵e̵y̵'̸v̸e̸ ̸b̵i̶t̴t̶e̴n̴ ̴o̵f̶f̸ ̷m̴o̶r̶e̸ ̵t̶h̴a̵n̵ ̶t̷h̵e̷y̴ ̴c̴o̶u̶l̸d̸ ̴C̵H̵E̸W̴-̵"̸

He stumbled back as 'Rick' advanced, readying his axe for a swing.

"̴-̴t̴h̵e̵n̵ ̵t̴h̵e̸ ̵T̶e̴a̵m̴ ̵R̴u̸n̷n̴e̷r̵ ̶i̵s̸ ̶t̵o̴ ̵h̶a̴u̸l̷ ̷i̸t̶ ̷t̸o̵ ̵t̸h̸e̷ ̶n̵e̸a̴r̸e̷s̵t̷ ̶o̴p̷e̷r̷a̷b̵l̷e̴ ̶A̴d̵m̵i̷n̶i̸s̸t̷r̶a̶t̸i̶o̴n̵ ̵S̷a̴f̵e̵-̷R̴o̴o̸m̶,̶ ̸a̶s̷ ̸p̸e̸r̸ ̸P̸R̵O̵T̷O̶C̵O̷L̵-̶"̴

The man barely managed to duck under the swinging weapon, which 'Rick' began to forcefully pry out of the metal cabinet.

"̶-̶a̶n̷d̷ ̸s̸e̴n̶d̸ ̴a̵ ̶c̷a̸l̷l̶ ̷t̴o̴ ̸H̷e̷a̴d̴q̸u̵a̷r̶t̴e̴r̵s̵ ̷f̵o̷r̷ ̴B̷A̴C̴K̷U̴P̸!̴"̴

The man frantically clicked a button on the gadget.

" RUNNING AUTO-DEBUG MODE "

The tool shined a bright light, tinted a slight green, which the man quickly aimed at his former teammate, who raised an arm in an attempt to shield his… no, IT'S eyes, but did not cease its attempts at freeing the weapon from the locker.

"RICK! SNAP OUT OF IT!"

Just as 'Rick' finally freed the axe, knocking the cabinet over, the light seemed to burn something off of him.

"̴B̷u̷t̵ ̵m̷o̵s̸t̸ ̸i̵m̴p̴o̸r̸t̷a̴n̷t̵l̶y̷,̸ ̸j̸u̸s̷t̸ ̷b̴e̵l̸o̶w̶ ̵p̴r̷o̶p̵e̶r̸ ̵P̸R̸O̴C̸E̸D̶U̵R̴E̷-̸"̴

The axe was swung again, but the man was not fast enough this time, and was sent crashing into the computer, sending it crashing onto the floor, overturning the table, and dislodging what Null now recognized as Pami's chip.

"R-Rick, please…"

The man clutched his open wound, as a red liquid seeped out.

As 'Rick' advanced on his now-helpless prey, Pami peeked over the cabinet, covering her mouth with both hands.

"̸-̷i̷s̸ ̶G̸E̴T̷T̷I̶N̴G̵-̵"̶

The axe was buried deep in the man's torso, eliciting a wheeze.

"̸-̷T̶H̷E̸ ̸J̵O̸B̷-̸"̷

'Rick' raised his weapon, once more.

"̵-̷D̵O̶N̷E̸.̷"̶

With a final swing, 'Rick' had ended the man's life.

Pami ducked down and deactivated, just before the killer could see her.

The hologram now matched the current room, exactly, except for the killer.

It all flickered for a moment, before fading away.

* * *

(A/N: Okay, so I didn't follow the votes like I initially said I would, but I figured this would work out alright, to please you readers.

Plus, it probably makes me the first person to write a fanfic on Scriptwelder's latest game, "Don't Escape: 4 Days in a Wasteland."

Anyway, our new character, Pami!

In concept, she's based on Yui from Sword Art Online, but with brown hair instead of black, and a cyan dress instead of white. But everything else- her general appearance, her voice, and her nature- are pretty much the same as Yui.

Anyways, I did TRY to work with Undertale for the first world- I really did! But, I just had too many holes popping up, and… yeah.

I'll let you see what I had for Undertale, though!

* * *

(Non-Canon Omake: Undertale Draft)

For the second time since he could remember, he was waking up on the ground.

The moment he grabbed the tether, he had been sent flying away from the 'ground' and toward the spark that the Glyph had latched onto. As he had approached, the 'light' grew far brighter, and engulfed him.

Now, he was looking up at the ceiling of a cavern of sorts, while laying on a bed of golden flowers.

He rose to his feet, before looking back at the PAC on his back. It would be cumbersome to carry, but he couldn't leave it behind.

He checked the PAC-Boy Quick-Access.

Inventory: Quick Access

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

'If I am interpreting this correctly, then I am able to store up to ten objects in here…'

He selected the top selection.

Please place PAC-Boy on the object you wish to store in Q.A.

He touched the PAC-Boy to the PAC…

PAC Selected!

Confirm?

[Yes]/[No]

He selected the former, and the rectangular metal object flashed, before shrinking and flying into the screen of the PAC-Boy.

Inventory: Quick Access

[PAC]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

[Empty Slot]

With that, he looked at the only opening in the cavern wall he could see, and walked through it.

* * *

He stopped when he saw an unusually large flower… grumbling.

"For the last time, Frisk," the flower spoke, turning to face him, "Don't you have anything better to do-?"

The flower stopped.

"Uh, who are you?"

He paused, opened the Stat Menu on the PAC-Boy, and pointed to the only margin still marked as "_null."

Name:_null

Race: Human

Title(s): Hollow Gamer

Level: 1: 0.0%

HP: 75/75 (VIT * 15)

MP: Locked (? Not Found) ((INT * 15) * 0)

HPR: +1 every 30 seconds ((VIT * 0.1) + 0.5)

MPR: Locked (? Not Found) (((WIS * 0.1) + 0.5) * 0)

STR: 5

DEX: 5

VIT: 5

INT: 5

WIS: 5

LUC: 5

The flower looked at the screen, then back at him. "... Null? That's supposed to be your name? What, did you parents hate you or something?"

He navigated to the notetaking section, and entered in a response.

I do not know. I have neither memories of parents, nor life.

I do not even have a soul.

After reading over that, the flower made an uneven sound that he almost mistook for a cough, but it didn't sound quite right.

"Oh please, I pegged you for an idiot, but not THAT big of an idiot!"

He tilted his head, not understanding the flower's words.

"You're a human, so you HAVE to have a soul. Watch."

The flower made a flicking motion with one of its leaves, he heard three loud clicks, then nothing.

The flower had the look from before, again.

Flick.

Click-Click-Click.

Nothing.

"Huh, you weren't kidding!"

"Hey, Asriel!" A young voice called from further ahead.

The flower spun around, and he looked to find the source of the voice.

Walking towards them, carrying a backpack, and emanating a warmth that he could faintly feel, was a human child with brown hair, and a blue and purple sweater.

Just over the child's shoulder, another child, with lighter skin, and a green/yellow sweater, hovered, transparent.

The flower… Asriel?... made a low, guttural sound.

"I keep telling you to stop calling me that, Frisk!"

He looked at the child, Frisk, just as they turned to him.

"Hi, did you just fall down here?"

He nodded.

"Huh, thought that they had blocked off that tunnel shortly after the barrier was destroyed."

"Well this guy's memory is apparently almost as empty as Grillby's when Jerry went up on stage for karaoke night!"

"Well, the way out of the Underground from here, if you can't make the climb, is pretty straightforward. I come every year to visit Asriel here, and you should be able to make your way pretty easily."

He nodded, and walked around the trio as Frisk waved their arm, before turning back to Asriel.

* * *

He navigated through a series of corridors with deactivated puzzles, unhindered, until he reached a particular spit in the path.

Through the left, he could see a tree and what looked like someone's home.

On the right, he caught a glimpse of a faint, cyan light on a stone balcony.

He approached the light…

… it appeared to be a faint silhouette of a child of similar size to Frisk.

It- they turned to face him…

He thought he saw the ends of their lips turn upwards.

The… ghost… waved, before condensing into a cyan sphere, the size of his fingernail, which dropped into his hand.

"Have Patience, you shall reach your goal eventually!"

Null, not yet understanding the meaning behind those words, went back to the other path, and entered the household.

* * *

Null came out of the corridor, and into a starkly different landscape of snow and evergreen trees.

He looked at the path, and still-fresh trail of footprints that were likely left by Frisk.

'Frisk knew the way out, and said they come annually to visit Asriel.'

'Conclusion: Following Frisk's trail will lead out of the Underground.'

And so, Null followed the trail, through the snow-covered woods.

* * *

(A/N: Yep, that was what might have been. Sorry for the unexpected change, if you're upset in any way!

But, even so, I will give cookies to anyone who can tell me which franchise the Corrupted, and the Debug-Tools are inspired by!

Please Favorite, Follow, Review, PM, keep the profanity to a minimum, check out Mixed Data, if you haven't already, and I'll see you in the Game(s)!

-poaling12


	5. Chapter 5: Don't Escape

Chapter 5: Don't Escape

 **(A/N: New chapter, more context! Yay!**

 **On to the chapter!**

 **Disclaimers: I do not own Don't Escape: 4 Days in a Wasteland, Scriptwelder does. I only own my character(s)**

"External Voice."

' _Internal Voice/Thoughts.'_

 _ **Null's Texting**_

" **Pima's External Voice. "**

" _ **Pima's System Voice. "**_

 **System/PAC-Boy**

* * *

Null knew he was soulless- that he was supposed to be incapable of feeling "emotion"- but seeing what 'Rick' had become, what he had done to the now-dead man, left him faintly feeling a chill fall over his entire body.

" **Null? "** Pima quietly spoke up. " **Are you… okay? "**

 _ **I am currently unharmed,**_ he typed, _**But- despite lacking the supposed means of feeling "emotion"- seeing what that… non-person… did, makes me feel a faint… cold.**_

Pima closed her eyes for a moment, humming. " **I think that might be fear- or at least something close to it. "**

' _Fear?'_ He decided to move on for now, knowing time was limited.

' _If there are any more of those out there, a confrontation would be dangerous without means of defence.'_

He looked back to the device he had dropped before- the Debug-Tool. It had some degree of effect on 'Rick' and was likely his best bet at defence against more of…

 _ **What was it that 'Rick' had become?**_

Pami hummed again, " **Well, there isn't an official entry in the Admin-Database, but he fit the Backup's description of what they called the "Corrupted" fairly well. "**

 _ **The Backup?**_

" **Yes. They're a sort of Splinter Faction of the Gaming Administration. "** Pami explained as her image sat on the PAC-Boy. " **They believed that the System would eventually begin to break down in some areas- essentially the Administration's version of the "Apocalypse." Actually, they were the ones who had the idea to set up contingency plans, like these Safe-Rooms, and Portable Admin Consoles. "**

 _ **The Administration believed them?**_

" **No, but they saw their reasoning for backup plans. "**

Null could understand that, as well.

Crouching down, he picked up the Debug Tool.

It wasn't too damaged; simply a light scuffing and a hairline crack in the lens.

He looked around, surveying the mess of wreckage throughout the room.

 _ **From what I've ascertained, a pack of abnormally large spiders is going to pass through the area tonight. Would this room keep the spiders out?**_

" **Well, the only way in is through the entry shaft, and the hatch is a plated titanium alloy. You'd probably be safe from the spiders in here... "**

' _That clears up one priority, for now…'_

" **… If it weren't for the hatch system is now inoperable. "**

Null looked at Pami, who looked… **(A/N: Sheepish.)**

" **The motors gave out after you opened it, and now it can't be closed. You** _ **may**_ **want to consider finding someplace else to hide for the night- someplace that's more secure. "**

Null nodded.

 _ **Can you tell me more about myself?**_

Pami tilted her head to the side. " **I'm not sure I understand. "**

 _ **Can you tell me who I was?**_

" **Ohhh! "** She closed her eyes, humming lightly.

" **There is very little data to indicate any specific identity, but now that I'm looking closely… "**

Pami looked up at me. " **There was an encrypted message embedded in your code. Someone had an interaction with you - whether direct or indirect. "**

 _ **What does the message say?**_

" **It says, 'Come find me, and I can give you the key to fix this. Call me on the attached channel ID when you find a working Admin-Communication System, and I'll be able to send you in the right direction. Urgently, C.V.' "**

' _CV? Could that be Cedric Virtuas?'_

 _ **Can you contact this person from here?**_

Pami shook her head. " **No, the Communication System for this Safe-Room was destroyed… "**

She perked her head up, realizing something.

" **But, that Green Squad Member was entering the coordinates of his team in the console, I can mark it on your map to check for any surviving equipment! "**

Null nodded.

 _ **I believe we should see what we can salvage in the area before nightfall, as well as a defensive location to rest for the night. After that, we should set out to find a means of reaching Sidereal Plexus One in the morning.**_

" **Agreed, that's a decent plan for now. "**

Null then began climbing back up and out of the shaft, the hatch closing behind him, and prepared to traverse this unfamiliar- and likely unforgiving- world.

* * *

Remaining alert and armed with a sledgehammer he found by the nearby hole in the wall, Null made his way to the site of Green Squad's final stand.

 _ **What is the Administration, exactly?**_

" **The Gaming Administration is… a lot of things… "**

" **Transuniversal exploration, research and development… pretty much anything to do with discovery, research, and advancement. "**

 _ **But why "The Gaming Administration?"**_

" **Well, it was initially founded when the Game Master discovered a means to 'program' reality itself- even uploading himself into an entirely new dimension. As he brought in more and more people, it was decided that formatting everything in a game-type setting had massive potential use, while still being easy enough to learn and understand. "**

 _ **And Sidereal Plexus?**_

" **They're one of the Administration's closest partners. They discovered how to use the Realm of Dreams to traverse between worlds fairly recently, and have been linking up with their alternate branches. And as both companies span across multiple worlds, their meeting up and cooperating was almost inevitable. "**

Null nodded; he was starting to better understand it, now.

Then he saw signs of a mass disturbance; bullet holes, scorch marks, and crimson stains all over the crumbling remains of buildings.

Turning the corner, he saw the end result.

Several dried, mummified bodies, clad in tattered green uniforms like the skeleton in the Safe Room.

" **They… they didn't stand a chance out here, in the open… "** Pami covered her mouth.

 _ **How long ago was this?**_

" **Three months ago at most. "**

 _ **Whatever attacked them has likely long left, then. However, warn me if anything approaches while I investigate.**_

Pami nodded, and Null, despite the chill settling throughout his body, bent down and tugged out one body that had been half-buried in a sand dune, revealing a large bag strapped to his back.

Carefully, he slipped the straps off the corpse, gently lowering it back to the ground, before opening and emptying the contents onto the ground.

A flat device with a cracked screen - similar to what he vaguely recalled as an 'iPad', a cyan cylinder that hummed faintly, a tiny, triangular bit of metal, a set of small, intricate tools, and a small, disk-shaped device with the words "Porta-Atmo-Field-Emitter."

" **A datapad, a power core- probably meant as a backup, a Heads-Up-Display-Focus, a spare wiring kit, and a basic Environmental-Protection Module. "** Pami identified.

 _ **The datapad?**_

" **Meant to store blueprints and software, mainly. We could download the files easily, and we could probably dismantle it for parts, but both operations will take time. I would suggest waiting until we return to the Safe Room. "**

 _ **Could I use the power core to improve the PAC?**_

" **Yes, but PAC modification is dangerous without the use of an Admin-Mod-Station. There should be one back in the Safe Room, though it suffered some damage. "**

 _ **The basic Environmental-Protection Module?**_

" **Mainly meant as a substitute for a proper Space Suit to survive in the vacuum of space. Green Squad may have been planning on investigating Sidereal Plexus One during their mission here, before they… "**

 _ **Head-Up-Display Focus?**_

" **It's meant as a backup means of having available data- streamed from a team's PAC- displayed in your field of vision, in case there was a connection error with the main System. Using it is actually pretty simple; just place it on the side of your head, above your ear, and it should do the rest! "**

Null did so, and his vision was suddenly traced by strands of violet light, with a bar in the air in front of him.

 **Initializing Neural Interfacing…**

 **Neural Interface Successful!**

 **Syncing with PAC-Boy-ver.1.0**

 **Sync Successful!**

 **You may now access and view data and such from the PAC-Boy via HUD Focus.**

 **You may now scan entities in your vision for additional data via mental command "Observe."**

Dismissing the display with a thought, Null looked around for anything else that could possibly be of use.

His search turned up nothing more, and he turned to leave the site of the battle, before noticing a strange look on Pami's face.

" **There were more squad members than that in the archived records, but where did the bodies go? "**

 _ **They possibly escaped, alive.**_

She shook her head. " **No, if that were the case, the bodies of the other squad members would have been retrieved for their funerals. "**

 _ **That one specific squad member came to your Safe Room to send a call to the Administration, indicating they did not possess a functioning method of communication.**_

" **… yeah? "**

 _ **Then couldn't some have escaped, but are only unable to send a call yet?**_

Pami let out a sigh. " **I guess that's a good point. Thank you, I feel a bit better now. "**

Null didn't quite understand what "thank you" meant, but he faintly recollected the appropriate response to it.

 _ **You are welcome.**_

* * *

By the time they had returned to the wooden shed, and the Safe Room inside, the sun had reached the halfway point of its trek across the sky.

 **12:34 (8 Hours, 26 Minutes Remaining)**

Quickly climbing down the shaft, he set the PAC on a clear part of the floor.

 **1 * Repair-Tool, 1 * Datapad, 1 * Power Core, 1 * Wiring Kit, and 1 * Basic-Level Environmental-Protection Module removed from PAC Inventory.**

Looking around, his Focus now pointed out an object he'd failed to notice before.

 **Admin-Mod-Station**

 **(Systems: Damaged)**

 **Required Repairs:**

 **Repair Central Circuitry (Suitable Equipment: Repair-Tool) []**

The AMS looked like a square meter of white metal, a quarter-meter thick. The edges were rounded, and it weighed half as much as the PAC when Null pulled it out from behind the broken console.

 **Initializing AMS Maintenance Mode...**

The top face of the AMS lifted to reveal the inner workings. Now that he could actually see what was inside, the damage was obvious. Specifically, the burnt, sparking sections of the circuitry.

And as Null reached for the Repair Tool…

 **Do you want to use the Repair-Tool to fix the damaged AMS Systems? It's the perfect tool for the job!**

 **This will take 3 Minutes.**

 **You have 8 Hours, 26 Minutes left.**

 **[Yes] [No]**

He mentally confirmed, and set to work.

* * *

 **Admin-Mod-Station**

 **(Systems: Functioning)**

As he finished, the AMS closed the maintenance hatch.

 **Admin-Mod-Station Online!**

 **Please place Equipment to modify.**

He placed the PAC atop the AMS.

 **Portable Admin Console ver.1.0**

 **Available Mod Blueprints:**

 **[Blueprint (Details) {Materials}]**

 **(None)**

 **Systems:**

 **[Power]**

 **[Fabrication]**

" **Oh! I finished downloading the blueprint data off that Datapad! "**

 **Downloaded Data from Datapad:**

 **Photovoltaic Generator Blueprint**

 **Adaptable Electric Extension Cord Blueprint**

 **Enviro-Protection-PAC (Basic/Life Support) Blueprint**

 **Enviro-Protection-PAC (Low/+Radiation Protection) Blueprint**

 **Enviro-Protection-PAC (Mid/+Cold Protection) Blueprint**

 **Enviro-Protection-PAC (High/+Heat Protection) Blueprint**

 **PAC Power-Unit Upgrade (Output+Capacity) Blueprint**

 **Basic Survival Shelter Blueprint**

 **Basic Water Reclaimer Blueprint**

 **Basic Electrical Stove Blueprint**

 **Portable Admin Console ver.1.0**

 **Available Mod Blueprints:**

 **[Blueprint (Details) {Materials}]**

 **[Enviro-Protection-PAC (Basic/Life Support) {Basic Environmental-Protection-Module}]**

 **Systems:**

 **[Power]**

 **[Fabrication]**

* * *

 _About thirty minutes of Mod-PAC-ing (puns!) later..._

 **Portable Admin Console ver.1.0**

 **Installed Mods:**

 **Basic EPP**

 **Power Unit: Level 2**

 **AMS sent to PAC-PIM**

The PAC as improved as he could make it for now, Null checked the PAC's clock.

 **01:07 PM (7 Hours, 53 Minutes Remaining)**

' _There are about eight hours remaining until the Spiders come out to hunt.'_

Then, he remembered the hole in the wall, and the sledgehammer lying on the ground next to it.

 _ **That hole in the wall above us was broken from our side, fairly recently.**_

" **You think someone passed through not long ago? "**

 _ **It seems quite likely.**_

" **Well, we don't really have any other leads on where to go, I suppose that it's worth a shot! "**

Null nodded, stored the PAC in the PAC-Boy, and climbed back up the shaft, and out of the shed.

He climbed through the hole in the wall, and began surveying the vast expanse of the wasteland before him.

His gaze caught on a white structure, across the distant stretch of lifeless desert.

' _Perhaps that is where the survivor went.'_

 **There's no quick way around it. Looks like you'll have to walk across this wasteland.**

 **This will take 50 Minutes.**

 **You have 7 Hours, 53 Minutes left.**

 **[Yes] [No]**

* * *

 **(A/N: I know it isn't even a full day of Don't Escape: 4 Days to Survive, but I needed to get SOMETHING out to advance this story, so we can get through this world, and find the point where the plot starts getting** _ **especially**_ **interesting!**

 **Null's trip through the world of Don't Escape: 4 Days to Survive (formerly known as Don't Escape: 4 Days in a Wasteland) is essentially going to be his first steps. He'll begin to learn some basics here, and that will help him to get through the trialsome worlds to come!**

 **After that, well, that would be telling, wouldn't it?**

 **Please Favorite, Follow, Review, PM, keep the profanity to a minimum, check out Mixed Data and Mixed DLC, if you haven't already, and I'll see you in the Game(s)!**

 **-poaling12**


	6. Chapter 6: : 4

Chapter 6: : 4

 **(A/N: Null vs Giant Spiders, who will win?**

 **On to the chapter!**

 **Disclaimers: I do not own Don't Escape: 4 Days to Survive, Scriptwelder does. I only own my character(s)**

"External Voice."

' _Internal Voice/Thoughts.'_

 _ **Null's Texting**_

" **Pami's External Voice. "**

" _ **Pima's System Voice. "**_

 **System/PAC-Boy/Documents**

* * *

 **01:57 PM (6 Hours, 3 Minutes Remaining)**

" **We made it! "** Pami congratulated Null as they reached the foot of the hill, upon which a white farmhouse with a blue roof could be seen.

 _ **Whether there is a Survivor here or not, the structure appears to be fortifiable, and built in a strategically defensive position.**_

Approaching the building, Null took note of the disturbed ground along the path, which indicated that someone had, indeed, been here very recently.

Walking up to the door, Null reached for the doorknob.

" **Wait! "** Pami stopped him before he could so much as touch it, causing him to snap to face her projection, perched on his shoulder.

" **At least knock first! If there IS someone here, then barging in won't help set a good impression, it'll just be bad manners! "**

' _Manners…'_ He could vaguely recall what that term included, and thus rapped his left hand against the wooden door five times.

…

" **I guess nobody's home… "** Pami sighed. " **I'll let the whole 'breaking and entering' bit slide this time, seeing as we don't have much choice. "**

Null nodded, and opened the fortunately-unlocked door, before entering the shelter.

* * *

 **(P.O.V.: 1st Person - _null)**

We stepped through the doorway, and into an open, dusty-yellow room.

The Focus quickly highlighted five objects; the broken window, the open door, an empty fireplace, a just-as-empty kindling box next to it, and a blue chest.

 **Window (Structural Weakness):**

 **Broken: All Threats can enter through this point.**

 **Door (Entrance):**

 **Open: All Threats can enter through this point.**

 **Unlocked: Sentient Threats can enter through this point.**

 **Fireplace (Station):**

 **Blocked Chimney: Cannot use until blockage is cleared, but physical Threats cannot enter through this point.**

 **Kindling Box (Storage):**

 **Resources placed in the Kindling Box will be used to keep a lit Fireplace burning.**

 **Kindling: None**

 **Fuel: None**

 **Storage Chest (Storage):**

 **Objects can be stored in the Storage Chest for later use.**

 **Contents (15/35):**

 **Housekeys, Empty Water Sprayer, Metal Pipe, Paperclip, Lighter, Hunting Rifle (Ammo: ⅚), 3 Handfuls of Nails, Stack of Paper Invoice Documents, Wad of Paper Cash, 4 Broken Planks, 2 Towels.**

I knelt down to examine the broken glass beneath the window.

 _ **The window appears to have been broken from outside. Lack of blood suggests a tool of some form was used, indicating as to the work of a human. Lack of dust and sand suggests the window was broken recently.**_

 _ **Conclusion: A surviving human broke the window today, high probability of said human returning.**_

" **Well, we're likely better off seeing what we can scrounge up from the wasteland than waiting for him-or-her to come back. "**

I nodded, turning to leave.

" **But, before we do, "** Pami pointed at the Storage Chest. " **I'd suggest borrowing the paperclip. We could probably use it to pick locks- just remember to return it after! "**

After retrieving the paperclip, closing the door, and marching back down the hill, we came to another choice.

 _ **Which way should we go?**_

Pami hummed for a moment. " **Well, when all else fails, there's one way to decide with little-to-no information! "**

I turned to look at her on my left shoulder.

 _ **What method do you mean?**_

" **Eenie-meenie-miney-moe! Let's try east! "**

* * *

 **(15 Minutes later…)**

 **02:12 PM (5 Hours, 48 Minutes Remaining)**

We stopped upon reaching a blue, broken down car, with two web-covered corpses on the ground near it.

Pami wrapped her arms around herself in her projection, before flashing back into the PAC-Boy on my right arm.

" **Tell me when we're leaving, I don't want to be around these mutilated bodies longer than we have to! "**

The first body had only a yellow leaflet tucked between the folds of the ripped clothes. Pulling it out from the remains, I read the contents.

 **ATTENTION TEAM**

 **As of this week, we've been hired by the locals to help deal with an outbreak of some variety of mutated spiders … supposedly a result of space radiation or something. I know it sounds strange but it's real. Don't hope to get any super powers when they bite you, other than the power to lay paralyzed as they eat you alive.**

 **Anyway, we have some scent-repellents left in stock. James has identified which subspecies of those creatures will be discouraged by which scent. He probably wrote it down somewhere; just ask him.**

Searching the second corpse, I found nothing salvageable- though I did notice some bite marks on its skin.

Bending down to get a closer look, I saw that the area around the bite was tinted green. I also took note of the pattern of the bite mark: from left to right- short-long-long-short.

Pulling out the leaflet, I looked at the trace remains of blood, not yet clotted. After a moment, I coated my fingertips with the blood, and made an image in the likeness of the bite mark on the back of the paper.

As I wiped the traces of blood from my hands, I looked at the car wrecks ahead, and marched over to begin my search.

Most of the wrecks were damaged beyond the point of immediate salvage, but there were two green trucks toward the back that were in relatively good condition, labeled "PEST CONTROL" and "CHEMICAL EMERGENCY RESPONSE."

Both trucks were locked, reminding me of the reason Pami suggested taking the paperclip from the shelter.

Holding the paperclip in my fingers as I approached the lock on the Pest Control truck, I then realized I did not have any memory of using paperclips to open locks.

 _ **Pami, how does one use a paperclip to pick locks?**_

Pami's projection emerged from the PAC-Boy. " **Well, I've never picked a physical lock in person, but I've processed enough data describing it that I can walk you through it! "**

 **You could try to pick the lock with the paper clip and Pami's instruction…**

 **This action will take 15 minutes.**

 **It's 02:12 pm (5 hours 48 minutes left)**

 **Do you want to proceed?**

 **[YES] [NO]**

* * *

 **(15 Minutes later…)**

 **02:27 PM (5 Hours, 33 Minutes Remaining)**

Once the lock clicked, the door swung open without resistance, allowing us entrance to scavenge for materials and equipment within.

The first objects to call my attention were a pair of large, metal rings with jagged edges.

 **Metal Bear Trap (Lethal Trap):**

 **Anything that steps into this is in for either a quick death, or a slow and painful death. Either way, don't step in it yourself!**

Carefully storing the bear traps in the PAC, I then turned my attention to four lockers highlighted by the Focus.

The first locker contained four large cans labeled "B-36," "B-11," "A-18," and "A-13." As I did not know what these cans were, I left them as I went to the next locker.

The second locker was locked, and I resolved to pick it open after searching the other two.

The third locker contained a "Sonic-Insect-Repeller," as well as the remote to it. But as spiders are arachnids, not insects, I concluded that the device would not be useful for the incoming threat, but stored it in the PAC-PIM anyway.

The fourth locker contained nothing but a sticky note on the inside of the door.

 **Guys, if you manage to catch one of them check out their teeth. We have to make sure we use the correct repellent or otherwise it won't do anything.**

Beneath the words were four drawings of spider heads, each with a label I had seen on the cans before.

Pulling out the blood-drawing of the bite mark and comparing it to the four spider-types, I determined that the repellent that would prove most effective would be repellent B-11.

Storing both papers, I retrieved the B-11 and stored it in the PAC-Boy, before storing the remaining three in the PAC itself.

Finally, I held the paperclip to the lock on the sole locker remaining as Pami flashed out to instruct me as before.

 **You could try to pick the lock with the paper clip and Pami's instruction…**

 **This action will take 15 minutes.**

 **It's 02:27 PM (5 Hours 33 Minutes left)**

 **Do you want to proceed?**

 **[YES] [NO]**

* * *

 **(15 Minutes later…)**

 **02:42 PM (5 Hours, 18 Minutes Remaining)**

Our efforts to unlock the locker gave us a single, large roll of what I faintly recalled, and the Focus confirmed as "Duct-Tape."

 **Duct-Tape (Multipurpose-Material):**

 **Water resistant, strong and durable. They say there isn't a thing that can't be repaired by using a lot of duct tape. If it can't be repaired you're probably not using enough duct tape.**

Taking the Duct Tape, I exited the scavenged Pest Control truck, and prepared to pick the lock on the Chemical Emergency Response truck.

"Oh, I didn't realize there was anyone else out here!"

I quickly turned to face a man wearing a brown overcoat, faded blue jeans, worn hiking boots, and a dark leather backpack.

"It's okay, I'm not going to hurt you!"

 **David:**

 **(Prophetic Survivor)**

I relaxed my stance, though I remained ready to run if needed.

"My name's David, who are you?"

I thought for a moment, then made gestures in imitation of letters using my hands and fingers.

"Enn… you… ell… ell… Null?" I nodded.

He hummed for a moment, "Well, Null, I'm guessing you can't speak?"

I nodded.

"I can try to keep things to yes and no questions, then."

David looked at the opened and emptied Pest Control truck. "Did you already check out the inside of that truck over there?" I nodded.

"Did you find anything useful, against giant spiders?" I nodded.

…

"And that is?"

I realized what he meant, and I retrieved the Bear Traps, B-11, Repellant Note, and set them on the ground between David and myself.

Looking back at the man, I noted that his eyes had widened- likely at the spectacle of the PAC-PIM.

He shook his head. "Okay, I'll hold off the question of how you got that sci-fi backpack, but may I have these?"

I tilted my head.

"Well, last night, I had a dream. In it, I was attacked by giant spiders which tore me apart. When I woke up this morning, I could see huge spiderwebs blowing in the wind. I've found a hideout where we can try to survive the night, but it still needs some work before it's safe."

' _Interesting, he had foreknowledge from a nightmare, how did it occur?'_

"I'm not just going to take these and leave you, though. Actually, I'd like it if you came with me. Our chances are better together than alone."

…

I nodded, picked up the objects on the ground, and held them towards David, who held up his arms.

"Alright, but it might actually be better if you held onto those until we get back- if it's okay with you?"

I nodded, before returning the materials to the PAC-PIM.

"Were you trying to get inside the second truck?"

I nodded, and held up the paperclip. "Ah, so THAT'S where it went!"

' _So he was the survivor who broke into that shelter on the hill.'_ I held the paperclip toward David, who shook his head. "It's okay, you keep it, I have something else I can use!"

He reached into his backpack and pulled out a blue crowbar. Then, he jammed the end of it into the gap of the door, and proceeded to force the lock until it gave with a metallic screech.

"Alright, it's open now!" David grinned and returned the crowbar to his pack, before climbing into the truck.

I made to follow him, only to be stopped by Pami appearing from the PAC-Boy.

" **Well, David's probably the survivor we've been following. "**

 _ **Yes, and he is not incorrect in saying that our chances of survival are higher working together.**_

" **Your lack of verbal speech is likely going to be limiting any communication, though. If you want, I can 'translate' what you want to say? "**

I nodded. _**If you deem it appropriate, then I will not stop you.**_

She smiled and nodded.

"Okay, there was a- WHOA!" David had just exited the Chemical Emergency Response truck, and was now looking at Pami's projection with wide eyes.

We were all silent for a moment.

"... Am I finally going crazy, or is there a tiny fairy girl sitting on your arm?"

" **You are still clinically sane, from what I can tell. "** Pami 'stood' and gave a short bow.

" **Hello, David, I am Null's Assisting AI, Pami. "** She straightened up to look at David. " **I will help 'translate' what Null means to say, and help him- and by extension, you- however I can! "**

He blinked, took a deep breath, and smiled. "Well then, it's nice to meet you, Pami."

Pami smiled, and David looked back to me. "Anyways, Null, there was a hazmat suit, a roll of duct tape, a spare air filter and a large beaker for mixing chemicals." He pulled each item out of his pack to show us.

" **You can hold onto that roll of duct tape- we already have one from the other truck! "**

I took the hazmat suit, looking over it.

 _ **The filter is faulty, there's a large hole under the right arm, and offers little protection against giant spiders whatsoever.**_

Pami repeated my words to David.

"Well, you can take it anyways, just in case!" He then handed me the other items, except the duct tape which he returned to his pack.

"With that, I believe we've got everything we can find from this location. Let's head back."

* * *

 **(POV: Pami)**

 **07:50 PM (0 Hours, 10 Minutes Remaining)**

Working together, they fortified the hideout against the incoming threat.

First, David had fuelled the generator powering the sprinkler system and set the overnight mode to maximum efficiency, as well as repaired and fueled the pickup truck in the barn, before our meeting.

Second, when we returned to the hideout together, David went into the barn behind the house with the can of B-11, as Null set the two bear traps by the front and back door and I instructed him on how to handle the traps so as to not hurt himself.

Third, they attached heavy metal bars to the three windows of the house with duct tape and nails, and locked the doors, blocking off the would-be entrances for the spiders.

Fourth and finally, David handed Null a 'flamethrower'- which was a water sprayer filled with gasoline and with a lighter duct-taped to the nozzle- while he grabbed the rifle from the storage chest.

Now, the sky was turning dark, and I thought I saw glimpses of dark shapes through the second story window.

" **I believe we've done all we can to prepare for the night. "**

David nodded, whilst clutching the rifle in his hands. "All that's left to do is wait and pray it's enough."

* * *

 **20 spiders**

 **The evening sky darkened as a pack of huge spiders followed your scent…**

 **You found a hiding place in an abandoned farmhouse..**

 **An automated sprinkler system kicked in as the pack was getting near.**

 **Despite being old and faulty, the sprinklers worked perfectly, fully covering the air above the fields with a dense mist.**

 **The spiders were not afraid of water at all…**

 **However, there was a strong repellent mixed with the water.**

 **It scared off 6 spiders.**

 **14 spiders**

 **You decided to set up some traps outside the house…**

 **You placed two traps outside your hideout. Two of the spiders walked right into them.**

 **12 spiders**

 **The front door was closed, keeping away all of the spiders that would have entered through it.**

 **The back door was closed, keeping away all of the spiders that would have entered through it.**

 **The window of the ground floor was reinforced with metal bars. The bars were attached to the frame with a lot of duct tape and nails.**

 **Out of 4 spiders that tried to enter the house through that window, 4 were stopped.**

 **8 spiders**

 **The window of the upper floor was reinforced with metal bars. The bars were attached to the frame with a lot of duct tape and nails.**

 **Out of 4 spiders that tried to enter the house through that window, 4 were stopped.**

 **4 spiders**

 **The bathroom window was reinforced with metal bars. The bars were attached to the frame with a lot of duct tape and nails.**

 **Out of 4 spiders that tried to enter the house through that window, 4 were stopped.**

 **0 spiders**

 **Summary:**

 **That's all of them. You fended off all of the spiders before they even entered the house.**

 **You went to bed early and had a well-deserved rest, allowing you to regain some strength.**

 **David: [+5 kg permanent carry weight bonus]**

 **_null: [+5 permanent STR bonus]**

* * *

 **\- CUST0M GAME PARAMETERS -**

 **Disks: B0th disks were used**

 **Day 1: Spiders**

 **Day 2: Freezing Wave**

 **Day 3: [̷E̸R̷R̵0̶R̶]̸**

 **Day 4: [̷E̸R̷R̵0̶R̶]̸**

 **Start**

* * *

 **(A/N: It's been a while, but MD: Incomplete File IS NOT CANCELLED! *Party Noises***

 **Null and Pami have now met David, a survivor in an ending world who d̵r̵e̷a̴m̸s̷ of living to see another day.**

 **It can't hurt to d̵r̵e̷a̴m̸, can it?**

 **Day 2 coming VERY soon!**

 **Please Favorite, Follow, Review, PM, keep the profanity to a minimum, check out Mixed Data and Mixed DLC, if you haven't already, and I'll see you in the Game(s)!**

 **-poaling12**


	7. Chapter 7: Days

Chapter 7: Days

 **(A/N: Can our survivors break the ice, or will they finally give in to the cold and unforgiving wasteland, sent into an eternal sleep wrapped in a white blanket of snow and frost?**

 **Let's find out - ON TO THE CHAPTER!**

 **Disclaimers: I do not own Don't Escape: 4 Days to Survive, Scriptwelder does. I only own my character(s)**

"External Voice."

' _Internal Voice/Thoughts.'_

 _ **Null's Texting**_

" **Pami's External Voice. "**

" _ **Pima's System Voice. "**_

 **System/PAC-Boy/Documents**

* * *

 _The hideout was silent, save for our footsteps._

 _Through the window, we could see a cold, dark night- though something told us that it was not a peaceful night._

… _Where did the bars go?_

 _Looking around, I realized that while this was unmistakably the hideout, it lacked the minor details that I clearly remembered._

 _Was this… a dream?_

 _As David approached the window, I heard a second set of footsteps, coming from the darkness behind us._

 _Turning, I peered into the darkness, and for a moment, saw nothing at all._

 _Then, a pair of white eyes, visible though they did not shine, appeared within the darkness._

 _I made to step away, to warn David-_

 _I heard a deafening shatter of glass, and felt a freezing gust fall over me._

 _I collapsed, the cold showing no signs of relenting._

 _The eyes looked at us from the shadows, with hints of… pity?_

 _I felt the cold penetrate deeper, along with the cold I remembered from before,_ _ **so much searing AGONY!**_

 _ **MakeitstopmakeitstopMAKEITSTOPMAKEITSTOPMAKEITSTOP!**_

 _ **MAKE IT STOP!**_

 _ ***BOOM***_

* * *

 **08:00 AM (12 hours, 0 minutes Remaining)**

*BOOM*

I jolted awake, either from the nightmare or the crash, from my resting mat atop three sheets of matted plastic wrap and netting, resting my head on the two towels as I slept.

As the dust settled, the hatch to the attic tumbled down off its hinges.

Looking toward David, I saw that he had a similar reaction to mine.

' _Did we just experience the same dream?'_

"What was that? The attic?"

Following David up the ladder- not yet re-equipping the PAC, PAC-Boy, and Focus- I felt the flow of air as I entered the first room of the attic.

I noted the presence of an extension cord sitting in the corner, but followed David into the next room.

I heard the click of a pistol.

"Hold it right there."

The wielder of the firearm was a woman, around Davids age. Her red hair reached just past her shoulders in a braid, she wore a blue jacket, gray cargo pants, and black combat boots. Her pistol was pointed at David, but the firm look in her eyes suggested she was ready to switch targets if needed.

Behind her, a bullet-ridden wreck of a green helicopter, the tail end poking through the massive hole in the attic wall.

"Whoa. Easy." David held up his hands in a non threatening gesture. "Nice landing."

"Considering the fact that it was flying on fumes, and half of the controls were broken, I'd say I did a good job." The woman's voice was as hard as her gaze.

"Well then … glad you're okay." I nodded in agreement. "Sorry for your helicopter."

"It wasn't really mine. Sorry for crashing it into your house."

"It's not really ours." I shook my head.

"Hey, do you think you could lower that gun now? We mean you no harm." I nodded.

She looked us over for a moment.

…

"Hmpf." She aimed it up and away from us, clicking the safety back on. "You look harmless alright."

"Thanks. My name is David." He gestured at me with his arm. "This is Null."

"Catherine. Or just Cate."

David paused. "Do I … Do I know you?"

Cate's guarded look was replaced with a confused expression. "What? No. I mean…"

…

She holtered the gun. "Okay, this IS awkward."

David nodded. "Yeah."

"Maybe we were on the same train or a bus one time, back in the old days. Or something like that." Cate guessed.

"It was something else…" David admitted.

Cate cleared her throat. "Anyway. Do you think you could help me with something, David?"

He grinned. "How could I say no to a pretty lady with a loaded gun in her hand."

"I'm trying to get somewhere. An outpost."

That caught my attention.

"What kind of outpost?" David asked.

"The one that could help me leave this place. Leave this world."

' _Perhaps she means…'_

"Are you sure you didn't hit your head during the crash?" David questioned, worriedly.

"They have a spaceship." Cate clarified.

"Oooh."

…

"I still have this gun you know." She deadpanned.

"Wait, you're serious about the spaceship?"

"Dead serious." Her voice was even. "Sidereal Plexus. The corporation. They owned a whole fleet of ships. When things went nasty they used those ships to evacuate their top researchers and some of the richest people off the planet. I know for a fact there is still one ship left on Earth. And I plan on using it to escape. You can come with me if you want."

' _She must almost certainly be talking about reaching the lunar outpost.'_

"Wait a minute." David held a hand to his forehead. "That's an awful lot to process."

"Listen." Cate leveled her gaze on us. "I can take you there and you'll see for yourself."

I tapped David's shoulder to get his attention, made a gesture like I was putting on shoulder straps, pointed at myself, then at the hatch in the last room.

"Okay, yeah, you can get ready Null, I'm going to talk with Cate for a bit longer."

I nodded, grabbed the screwdriver I saw sitting on the box to the side, and left the room, grabbing the extension cord as I went down the hatch.

" **Good morning, Null! "** Pami greeted me as I approached. " **Did you sleep well? "**

I equipped the PAC-Boy on my arm, typing a response, before putting the PAC back on.

 _ **I am well rested, but my dream was not peaceful.**_

Pami looked concerned. " **What was it about? "**

 _ **I was with David in the room downstairs, but it was different.**_

 _ **I realized it was a dream, and almost immediately after, a pair of eyes appeared in the darkness, looking at me.**_

 _ **Just then, the window shattered, and an extreme cold froze our bodies, turning us into ice and killing us painfully.**_

 _ **Then, we were awoken by Catherine crashing a helicopter into the side of the attic.**_

Pami blinked. " **Who's Catherine? "**

 _ **A woman who has a pistol, and knows of a Sidereal Plexus outpost where we can find a spaceship to traverse to Sidereal Plexus One.**_

I stored the materials I used as a sleeping mat in the PAC, and hurried downstairs, before storing everything from the Storage Chest in the PAC.

" **Well, guess that was rather lucky! "**

I nodded as I held the crowbar to the nails holding up the destroyed bars.

 _ **Yes, I suppose it was.**_

* * *

 **10:00 AM (10 hours, 0 minutes Remaining)**

After stopping to construct a stronger bridge to support the truck's weight, we parked just outside of the empty gas station.

"I'm going to refill the gas can while we're here." I handed the canister and wrench to David from my seat in the truck pallet. "I'll be right back."

Cate watched him go around the corner to the parking lot, where I knew a large gas tank sat. When he was out of sight, she turned to look at me.

"So, you don't talk?" I shook my head.

"How long?" I was silent.

" **He doesn't remember much. "** Pami appeared and answered for me. " **Since I've met him, Null hasn't been able to utter a single word out loud. "**

"And you've known him for… how long?"

" **He found me yesterday morning. "**

"And you just trust a guy you don't even know with your life?"

" **I didn't have a choice at the time, I was on the verge of a dead battery at the time. "**

" **Besides, if I** _ **really**_ **needed to protect myself from him for whatever reason, I could just zap him through the PAC! "**

' _Do not antagonize Pami… Noted.'_

Cate chuckled. "Heh, not so defenseless, after all!"

* * *

 **(POV: Pami)**

 **10:03 AM (9 hours, 57 minutes Remaining)**

David parked the truck in front of what appeared to be a fast-food restaurant.

' _ **I'd better make sure Null doesn't eat anything spoiled while we're here! '**_

As our party stepped inside, I saw a skinny boy, about ten years old, tugging on the handle of a big metal door.

Spinning to face us, the boy raised his fists. "Go away! I saw this place FIRST. I'm warning you! I know how to fight!"

"Calm down … we're not here to hurt you." David reassured the boy.

"Yeah," Cate gestured at David, dismissively. ",this man over here is pretty harmless."

"Alright, okay, whatever! I'm not afraid of you!" His shaking fists said otherwise.

"My name is David. These are Cate and Null."

"You can calm down, Cody. We're friends."

…

' _ **How did David know his name? '**_

"How do you know my name?" Cody seemed just as confused.

"I … don't know." David admitted after a moment. "It just came to me."

"Stay away!" Cody brandished his raised fists. "I don't know you."

…

Cody's fists lowered a bit for a moment. "I think. Go away, or else!"

I made my appearance, sitting on Null's right shoulder. " **Go away or what? "**

The boy's eyes widened upon seeing me. "Huh, a fairy?" He shook his head. "G-go away or I'll beat you up!"

I held my hands to my cheeks, doing my best to feign fright. " **Oh no! "**

"Yeah! So … s-stay away!" Cody's voice began to crack. "Please."

' _ **Poor kid, he's truly terrified! '**_

I then realized a key detail about his situation.

" **Where are your parents? "**

…

Cody looked down for a moment. "... Nowhere. I'm on my own."

I know I didn't physically have a heart, but I felt a twang of sympathy inside as I heard that.

"I'm so sorry..." Cate felt the same as me.

Cody shook his head. "Don't be. I've always been on my own. I know how to take care of myself."

I looked at the door he'd been trying to open… with no success. " **So, you're hoping to find some food on the other side of that door? "**

"I don't hope, I KNOW there's food in there, for sure!" I saw him roll his eyes. "It's a restaurant, duh."

I hopped off Null's shoulder, walking five feet toward Cody- the closest I can project my image with the PAC's current capabilities. " **Why don't we team up, Cody? Tonight is going to be FREEZING cold! "** I made a show of wrapping my arms and shivering to emphasise. " **You have better chances with us. "**

Cody stared at me for a moment. "... Do you have any food?"

"Maybe…?" David quipped.

"Then MAYBE I will team up with you." Cody threw David's answer right back at him. "If not, I have better chances on my own." With that, Cody went back to tugging desperately on the door handle.

David turned to Null. "Null, could you and Pami keep an eye on Cody for a moment while me and Cate check around back?"

Null nodded, I saluted.

As they left, I turned back to Cody, still pulling on the door.

" **Did you see any spiders, yesterday? "**

Cody stopped to look down at me. "A few, but I'm a big kid, I just hid and they left!"

' _ **They probably ignored his scent in favor of David and Null's stronger scents. '**_

Lucky kid!

Just then, the door finally swung open, and David came out.

"Hi." Cody stepped back in surprise.

"How … how did you get there?!"

"I used the back door." David said, simply.

"Oh, I didn't know there was a back door." Cody admitted, sheepishly.

"Well, more like a back _window_." David clarified.

The kid looked up at the man with wide eyes. "Wow! You're like a burglar."

"Come on. It's all abandoned anyway." Cate reentered through the main entryway as David began defending himself.

"Wait," Cate smirked as he realized the absurdity of his position. "why am I even explaining myself to you?"

Cody shuffled for a moment. "Umm …" He looked back up at David, hopeful. "Did you find any food in there?"

David simply pulled out a metal can and handed it to the hungry boy. "Here. Take this."

Cody stared at the offered tin. "What? Is that…?"

He grabbed it cried out, eagerly. "Food!"

The boy looked it over, every which way, faltering. "But … uh … how do I open this?"

"So that's how you've been taking care of yourself." Cate quipped.

"Hm, hand it back." Cody gave it back to David. "I'll open it for you somehow."

The boy wrapped his arms around his midsection, dejected. "I'm hungry…"

David gestured for us to follow him into the back room.

"Hey, Null, could you give me the crowbar for a moment?"

Null set the PAC against the wall, before retrieving the tool and handing to to David. "Thanks." He then used the metal implement to force open an unopened cupboard, revealing a knife inside.

"This should do." David handed the crowbar back to Null, before pointing at a glass fridge containing a pair of water bottles. "While I open this can for Cody, mind prying open that door and getting those water bottles? It would help to have something to drink if we get thirsty."

Null looked down at the crowbar, then at the glass door, and put the crowbar back in the PAC-PIM.

"What are you-?"

Null then pulled out the sledgehammer and swung it at the glass.

*SHATTER*

The window stood no chance whatsoever against the heavy tool, and Null simply reached in and retrieved the bottles, while David, Cate, and a curious Cody stared at him.

"Did…" David seemed shocked. "Did you have that the entire time?"

" **We found it by a hole in a brick wall just yesterday. "**

David blinked. "Huh, guess that would explain it."

With that, David went to stabbing the knife into the sides of the can, while Null walked over to a portable heater and air-conditioner by the backdoor David mentioned.

He put his hands under the heater, and attempted to lift it.

" **Insufficient STRength points for this task! "** I joked. " **Null, there's an easier way, you know! "**

Null stopped, realizing what I was getting at, and held the PAC-Boy to the two temperature regulating components, storing them in the PAC-Boy's inventory.

"I've opened the can of meat." David announced, before handing the knife to Null, who stashed it in the PAC-PIM as he transferred the AC and Heater from the PAC-Boy to the PIM.

"Also," David pulled three blue, ceramic tiles out of his pack and handed them to Null. "Hold onto these in case we need them later."

Reprojecting myself to Null's right shoulder, I read off the back of one tile.

 **From Our Spaceships to Your Kitchen (™), Sidereal Plexus brings you Heat Absorber Tile (™).**

 **Exciting new technology allows this tile to absorb huge amounts of heat, cooling the temperature around it. Warm beer? Broken refrigerator? Never again!**

 **Just apply pressure to the tile - by hitting it with something blunt, like a hammer - to activate it. The tile will start absorbing heat for up to 16 hours*!**

 ***Effect may vary depending on the room temperature.**

Nodding, Null stored the three Heat Absorbers in the PIM.

"... Um, how much stuff do you have in there?"

" **The whole 'survival' aspect of our situation has turned Null into a bit of a hoarder- if he wasn't one before I met him. "** I deadpanned.

The man nodded. "Okay, fair enough."

Reequipping the PAC, Null followed David and Cate out of the looted kitchen.

"Here." David handed the now-opened can of brown meat to Cody. "Take this."

"Food!" The boy happily accepted the can and hopped in place, excitedly. "Wow! You are a good person after all."

"I wouldn't say 'good'." Cate quipped. "Maybe a bit clumsy and soft."

"Come with us, Cody. You'll be safer. We might even have more food."

' _ **Well, we DO have a few MRE's in the PAC's PIM. '**_

"Awesome!" Cody beamed.

I noticed a hallway off in the corner. " **What's back there? "** I pointed.

Looking over, David went to investigate, followed by Cate.

"Oh, not this again." David half groaned - half shuddered.

"I hope there aren't any spiders left here." Cate agreed.

Looking closer, I saw that, indeed, the hallway was covered in spiderwebs.

"I've seen their corpses around the hideout, and I wouldn't want to meet them face-to-face, to be honest."

"Maybe it's just leftover webs." David hoped.

" **I think you're right, otherwise they would have charged out at us by now, or even at Cody before we even got here! "**

"Leftover or not, they are blocking our way now." Cate pointed out.

"Do you think we can do something to get rid of them?" Null set down the PAC and pulled out the flamethrower, before I quickly shook my head.

"They look kinda strong enough to trap an adult man in place. I think we should come back tomorrow."

"Maybe we can dissolve it somehow…?"

Null looked at me, I shook my head, knowing he was thinking of testing the other repellants on the webs.

"My guess is that this spaghetti of webs will dissolve on its own by tomorrow. Let's just keep this place in mind and come back later."

"Mmm, spaghetti…" Cody reminisced on the taste of the pasta.

" **Hey Cody, how old are you? "**

"I'm not a kid, okay, uh…"

" **Call me Pami. "**

"Well, Pami, I'm twelve." Cody huffed.

"Is that so?" Cate teased.

"Alright, I'm ten. So what! I know how to take care of myself." Cody admitted.

"I'm sure you do." Cate granted.

" **So, now that you've got some food in your stomach, are you doing okay, Cody? "**

"Yeah. I'm wondering if we could make a snowman." The boy hoped.

"Well…"

"David, Pami."

"...We don't have time for that. And it's going to be really cold." David confessed.

"Oh…" Cody looked down. "Too bad. I always wanted to make one."

" **… "** Null and I looked at Cate, who sighed after a moment.

"I'm not evil, okay? If we get through it, we'll make a snowman in the morning. Okay, kid?"

"Sure!" Cody beamed at the woman.

"Oh, Null? Do you still have that pipe?" Null returned the flamethrower to the PIM, pulling out a green metal pipe, a little under a meter long. "Good, I saw a rope release clamp out back that looked like it would fit that pipe- can you go check that before we go?"

Null nodded, slung the PAC back on, and walked out the doorway.

" **Hey, Null? "**

He looked at me as he marched around to the back alley of the restaurant.

" **If- no, WHEN we make it through the night, can we help Cody make his snowman with Cate? "**

He nodded, and I 'hugged' him, visually. " **Thank you! "**

* * *

 **10:19 AM (9 hours, 41 minutes Remaining)**

We drove from the empty restaurant to the crumbling house Cate apparently saw during her 'flight.'

As we clambered out of the pickup truck, I saw a middle-aged bald man with dark skin curled up against the side of the garage, his face in his hands, mourning.

"Hey." David approached him.

"Please leave." His voice seemed devoid of all hope and happiness. "Just … leave me alone."

"We mean you no harm." David tried to reassure him.

"Yeah, he's pretty much harmless." Cate quipped.

" **Cate, please… "**

"My name is David. The boy over there is Cody. That's Null, with Pami on his shoulder." David looked closely at the man. "You don't look too good. Can you tell us what happened?"

"I'm Barry." The man identified himself. "It's about my wife."

' _ **Oh dear. '**_

"She… She didn't make it." Barry cried. "Last night … she died. Why … God? Why her? It should have been me. It should have been me. And she is still there, in the house. I don't know what to do."

… Cate broke the silence after a moment. "Come on, David. Let's go. This guy had enough."

"Wait … Barry."

"What do you want?" Barry looked up at him.

"Have we met before?" David asked.

"I don't…" Barry blinked, confusedly. "Wait, I…" He peered closely at David. "Did I meet you at the gas station before the world ended or something?"

"What's going on, Cate?" David turned to the woman. "Why do I keep feeling like I've been here before?"

"Dreams, maybe…?" Cate threw the idea out.

"No … I mean, yes." David admitted. "But there is more to it."

"Well, whoever you are, what do you want?"

"You'd better not stay here." David warned. "The temperature at night is going to get crazy. Come with us. We can help each other."

Barry buried his face in his hands. "Sorry. I see no reason to keep going. I might as well stay here and wait for death. Then I can be with my wife again."

" **Well, why don't you tell us about your wife? "**

"She was the most kind and wonderful person I've ever known. She was my entire world. And now she's gone. I failed her … I couldn't protect her. It should have been me." Barry sobbed.

"I'm sure your wife would want you to live. You should keep memories about her. And you can only do that while you live."

"Why do you care so much if I live or die? You don't even know me."

"True." David admitted. "But we all have better chances to survive if we stick together."

"I … I can't." Barry cried. "I can't leave my wife like this."

Null turned and began walking around to the back of the house.

"Stop. Don't go near that house."

"Why?" David asked.

"Because it's mine. Leave."

David mulled something over in his head. "Cate?"

"Yeah?"

"Hey, could you distract our friend here for a moment somehow?"

She smirked and pulled out the pistol. "Oh, I know how to distract him."

I gave her a look.

"Could you do it _without_ a gun?" David requested.

"Alright." She holstered the weapon. "Mr. Boring."

With that, Cate walked over to the mourning man. "Hey."

David quickly took the opportunity to slip around back, and Null followed.

Entering the house from the less-visible backdoor, we entered a room with a closet, couch, heater, desk fan, telephone, and a woman's body smack in the middle.

" **Hey, "** I pointed. " **There's a small locket around her neck. "**

David slipped it off from the body, opening it and unfolding a paper inside.

 **Barry**

 **I'm sorry. If you are reading this, it probably means I didn't make it. Please don't let it be your demise; remember me and live a good life.**

 **And when the time comes, I know you'll make the right decision.**

 **Yours, Maggie.**

I looked down at Maggie's cold body. " **I really hope Barry doesn't leave her like that, if nothing else. "**

Walking over to the couch, Null picked up a thin white bed sheet folded atop the cushions, before carefully wrapping the deceased woman with it.

As we came out, Cate noticed our return. "Well, I've gotta go for now."

"Uh-huh…"

As Cate walked away, David walked up to Barry, holding Maggie's locket in his hand.

" **This could potentially go very wrong. "** I warned Null.

David held out the golden locket. "This belongs to your wife. You should look inside and…"

Barry interrupted. "Where did you get it?"

"Uh … there's a note inside." David continued. "I thought…"

Barry stood up, seething. "WHERE. DID YOU. GET IT?"

Barry stomped forward, David fell back, and Cate pulled out her pistol. "Listen, I… ...There is a note inside … I think you should read what it says."

"DID YOU SNEAK INTO MY HOUSE AND TOUCH MY WIFE?!"

" **This could be VERY bad, Null! "**

"Stop it!" Cate clicked off the safety.

"DID YOU?!"

"Barry, wait!" David tried to reason with the upset man.

"STOP IT!" Cate leveled the gun at Barry's head.

"So you go through her stuff like a SCAVENGER?!" Barry was practically roaring, now. "You're SO dead!"

"I'LL SHOOT YOU!" Cate had her finger on the trigger.

"PLEASE STOP SHOUTING!" Cody cried from over by the truck.

" **Sir, please CALM DOWN! There is a TEN-YEAR-OLD here, and Maggie LEFT YOU A NOTE INSIDE THE LOCKET! "**

"NO!" David called to Cate. "WAIT!"

"Barry … just read the go _ **sh**_ da _ **r**_ n note!"

"Do it, please." David spoke softly. "Just … Read the note."

"..." Barry turned away, before opening the locket and looking down at the note within, while Cate clicked the safety back on.

"My sweet girl…" I could barely hear his voice and tears dripping.

"My honey…" Barry's shoulders trembled as David rose to his feet. "Why you…"

"I'm sorry for taking that," David apologized. "But I thought you should have it."

Cate had finally holstered her firearm and relaxed her stance.

Barry shook his head. "No, no … I'm sorry."

He caringly folded the note back into the locket, placed it in his pocket, and slid down against the garage wall. "I shouldn't have gotten mad like that…"

He looked up at David. "If it wasn't for you, I probably would have never seen my wife's final words."

The widower looked down at the pocket containing his wife's last goodbye. "It's her handwriting for sure, but … when did she write it? How did she know?"

"Sometimes people can … sense things before they happen." Cate looked at the leader of our party. "Right, David?"

"It's almost like I read a goodbye letter. A letter that you've delivered." Barry nodded, sniffling. "Thank you."

"Your wife deserves a proper burial." David spoke after a moment.

Barry hesitated. "I … I can't. I just can't look at her like this. Lifeless. Cold."

"I'll bury her." David offered.

"What? David, are you serious?" Cate slapped her face, exasperated. "We don't have the time for…"

David gave her a stern look. "This man has just lost _everything._ Show him some respect. I'm not going to ask for your help with this. Just don't try to stop me."

"Eh … I'll help." She sighed. "I just hope we don't waste too much time."

" **Do you have a shovel, Barry? "**

"Huh? Yes … yes." Barry stood and walked to the lock on the garage door, before pulling a key from his pocket and unlocking the door. "I have one right here."

Lifting the door revealed a rusted hust of a car, and a shovel with a green head. "There."

"Thanks." David picked up the shovel and went around back, followed by the rest of our party.

* * *

 **45 minutes of gravedigging later…**

 **11:04 AM (8 hours, 56 minutes Remaining)**

Working together, we managed to dig a fairly deep hole, ready for Maggie's funeral.

After climbing out, David lead us back into the house.

"Cate … could you help me move Barry's wife?"

"Yeah, sure"

He bent down, carefully getting a hold under the woman's legs. "Let's take her outside."

" **We'll go get Barry. "** Null nodded and walked out the front door.

" **Barry. "** I called the man, who looked up at me on Null's shoulder. " **It's time. "**

He nodded. "Okay…"

* * *

The six of us stood over the filled grave.

"Thank you." Barry spoke softly. "She deserved at least that."

" **Of course she did. "** I gave a gentle smile.

"Come on, Barry." David gently placed his hand on Barry's shoulder. "Let's go."

"Where?" Barry looked at David.

"We've got a plan. Sort of. The first part of this plan is to survive tonight." David explained.

"Alright." He nodded. "I'll do it for her."

"Hey, mister?" Cody called Barry's attention.

"Yes?"

"I'm Cody." The boy introduced himself.

Barry smiled. "Hello, Cody. I'm Barry."

Cody held out the can from before. "Do you want some food from a can? I left some for later, but I can share!"

I smiled at him, whispering to Null so the boy wouldn't hear. " **He acted all tough before, but he's a little sweetheart inside! "**

"That's sweet of you, but I'm not hungry right now."

"Eating makes me happy, and I thought it would also make you happy."

"Heh…" Barry turned to David, his eyes flicking back to Cate as he spoke. "Is he your son, David?"

I swear I saw a tint of pink on David's cheeks, though there was a possibility it was simply from the cold. "No. We found him by a restaurant near here. I'll tell you all the details later."

"Cody," Barry turned back to the boy. "You're a good kid."

He looked down at the can in his hands. "I think I'll eat that food now…"

"Go for it." He turned back to David. "Come on, David. Lead the way."

"Actually, our car uses so much fuel." David brought up. "I don't think it's normal."

Barry put a hand to his chin, thinking. "There might be a number of reasons for that…"

He went on. "From fuel injectors to incorrect tire pressure. There might also be something wrong with the engine."

"Could you take a look?" David asked.

"Sure."

"And Null, Pami?" He called our attention. "While we're doing that, could you see if there's anything we can use here- if it's alright with you, Barry?"

"It's okay," Barry nodded. "Anything helps."

" **Alright, but we'll ask for your permission before we take anything with us back to the hideout. "**

* * *

 **80 minutes later…**

 **12:24 PM (7 hours, 36 minutes Remaining)**

"There." Barry closed the hood of the truck. "Now it should use much less fuel."

" **And we've got… "**

" **A short hose, a propane tank for the portable gas heater, an old phone, a big blue blanket, an electric heater which is broken - if the rattling is any indication, a desk fan - which is NOT broken, two warm coats, and a book titled 'The Mysticism of Dreams.' "**

"I remember how Maggie would read that book, over and over." Barry reminenced.

" **Would it be alright if we take it to read later? "**

"Go ahead." He nodded.

"Now," David bent down to look at the heater. "Null, could you lend me the screwdriver? I'm going to see if we can't fix this thing."

* * *

 **60 minutes of tinkering later…**

 **01:24 PM (6 hours, 36 minutes Remaining)**

After we finished repairing the electrical heater, Null and I took a moment to read from 'The Mysticism of Dreams.'

 **Recurring nightmares are often considered to be something more than "just a dream". There are more than several documented cases of nightmares actually coming true, which suggests they can be treated as sort of "warnings". A prophetic dream doesn't have to perfectly come to fruition. More often than not the dream is a metaphor, a projection of the unconscious mind that has come in contact with information about events that are yet to happen. How is it possible, one may ask? This question remains unanswered - we live in a world ruled by science and dominated by technology, yet there are some mystical things lying underneath the veil of reality that control our lives to a degree much higher than you, dear reader, could ever imagine. Whatever the case may be, remember that dreams are more than they seem. Just like not understanding physics doesn't make it less real, the fact that we don't fully comprehend dreams doesn't render them irrelevant.**

' _ **Interesting… '**_

* * *

 **7 minutes of driving later…**

 **01:31 PM (6 hours, 29 minutes Remaining)**

"That's your home?" Cody asked as we walked into the main room downstairs. "It's so cool!"

"It's not my home." David disclaimed. "I found it deserted."

"Oh. It's still cool!" He turned to David. "Can we go upstairs? I saw a helicopter sticking out of it."

"Calm down, Cody!" David laughed.

"So," Barry looked around the room. "This is the place you stayed at?"

David nodded. "Yes."

"It's … big. Looks solid." He observed.

"Despite Cate's best attempts," She rolled her eyes at that. "It still stands. And I think it can provide us with the protection we need. At least until we figure out what to do next."

Barry looked at the picture sitting on the fireplace. "I knew the people who lived here."

David looked surprised. "Really?"

"I'll tell you about them if you want."

David, Null, and me nodded. "We weren't really close, but we spoke on occasion."

" **What happened to them? "**

"Yeah, I always wondered." David spoke. "The house was locked, and I didn't find any bodies."

' _ **That's quite relieving! '**_

"So, I guess the set of keys I found must have been spares."

"They left." Barry answered, simply. "The military was still trying to evacuate civilians from endangered areas until they realized there were no safe areas left."

"Didn't you want to go with them?" David asked.

"We refused. Maggie wanted to stay." Barry paused, wondering. "Now I wonder. What if…?"

He shook his head. "Then again, I have no idea what happened to the ones who left. I hope they're alright. But I doubt they are."

* * *

"WOW!" Cody exclaimed as we walked into the wrecked room of Cate's quote-unquote 'landing.' "It's so awesome!"

"I flew it, you know." Cate grinned, proudly.

"She flew it IN here." David deadpanned.

"Helicopters are cool. Can I get inside?" Cody looked at the wreck with wide eyes.

"Not the best idea, kid." Cate pointed out.

"But…"

"Don't touch it." Cate warned. "Don't even come _near_ it."

"But why…?" Cody asked.

"Because it might fall." David explained. "I wouldn't want you to fall and hurt yourself."

" **Honestly, I'm surprised Cate didn't hurt** _ **herself**_ **given the condition of this thing. "**

"Soon after my wife died I heard your helicopter." Barry remembered. "I walked outside just in time to see you fly over the house."

"Yeah." She recalled. "I wasn't sure if the place was abandoned or not."

"Why didn't you just land there if you were low on fuel?" He asked.

"I was trying to touch down this baby since I had flown past the _city_." She pointed. "It was not particularly operative."

"Are those … bullet holes?" Barry looked at the numerous round holes in the side of the helicopter.

"It's a long story." Cate dismissed.

* * *

 **02:19 PM (5 hours, 41 minutes Remaining)**

We got out of the truck, next to a fairly recent campsite.

There was an RV, a deep looking hole in the rocks nearby, and two, web-covered corpses.

' _ **Oh my GAIA. '**_

"Looks like their trip didn't end well…" David looked at the bodies. "I wonder what happened."

"My guess is that their car broke down." Cate surmised. "RVs are not the best suited for off-road travel, you know."

"They set a camp and then…" David realized. "The spiders got them."

" **Why don't we take a look, see if we can fix it? "**

"Well, let's see…"

* * *

 **3 minutes later…**

 **02:22 PM (5 hours, 38 minutes Remaining)**

"The engine seems fine, but the suspension is busted." David summarized. "The RV is not going anywhere, and I don't think there is anything I can do to fix it. Also, the internal battery for appliances seems to be working, but I don't know how much juice it has left. The battery is charged when the engine is running."

" **Actually, "** I spoke up. " **There IS an all-purpose repair tool stored in the PAC, but we'd likely be better off checking the inside and outside for anything we could use, then storing it in the PAC. "**

Our entire party- sans Null- looked at me with wide eyes. "... Say what?"

" **We already have the truck, and it would be too inconvenient to have to re-repair it just driving it back. "**

"I mean, you can just STORE THE ENTIRE RV IN THAT PAC?"

" **… Yes? Anything that isn't nailed to the ground or breathing can be stored in the PAC. "**

… David shook his head and took a deep breath. "I'm not going to bother questioning it, let's just follow that plan."

* * *

 **03:36 PM (4 hours, 24 minutes Remaining)**

Our search of the RV turned up two more warm coats, two water bottles, a bandage, a green blanket, a silver thermal-blanket, and the hook from the rear bumper- which we attached to the rope from the restaurant flagpole rope. After that, we used said rope to check out the cave- which was not only empty, but colder than it was outside.

Then, we carried the body out of the RV and sent it to the PAC-PIM, before driving back to the hideout.

From there, we refueled the truck, taped blankets over each of the windows, covered the attic hatch with a flag from the restaurant, pulled up a dead bird which was clogging the chimney, filled the fireplace and tinderbox - with four broken planks, a pile of charcoal, a stack of documents, a wad of cash, the note from the pest control truck, and the bag the charcoal came in- set the gas heater in front of the fireplace, next to the electrical heater plugged into the extension cord leading into the next room, opened and turned on the oven, and gave a warm coat to Cody, Cate, David, and Barry.

" **I think we've done all we can to prepare the hideout and ourselves for the cold night. "** I ascertained. " **If it's alright with all of you, I'd like to go with Null to refill the gas canister at the gas station before it gets too cold. "**

David looked at us. "Are you sure? It's already really chilly out there."

" **We'll make it quick. "** Null nodded in agreement.

David sighed. "Okay, but get back before the REAL cold hits, okay?"

* * *

 **25 minutes of walking later…**

 **04:01 PM (3 hours, 59 minutes Remaining)**

After walking for just less than a half-hour, we arrived at the gas station.

Quickly walking around to the back, Null set the empty gas canister under the fuel valves of the giant gasoline trailer, and opened the valve using the wrench.

" **While we're here, why don't we also fill up the gas tank of the RV we have in the PAC? ?"**

Turning to look at me, Null nodded and set the PAC on the ground against the tires of the gas trailer.

After materializing the RV from the PAC-PIM, pouring the gasoline from the canister into the fuel inlet, and sending the RV back into the PAC-PIM, Null re-refilled the gasoline canister.

My audio sensors picked up a new sound, like a whirring of a drone. " **Do you hear that-? "**

Suddenly, a drone of some type half fell - half landed on the asphalt a few feet from us.

Taking a moment to store the full canister and wrench, Null walked over to the drone, bending down to get a better look at it.

" **It's some kind of weather-monitoring drone. "** I concluded after checking the programming. " **It's a product of Sidereal Plexus, but it's in bad condition, and it doesn't contain any useful data on the location of the outpost Cate mentioned. Still, it might come in handy later on. "**

Null nodded, and picked up the drone, before storing it in the PAC.

As we departed, I looked back at the newspaper stand in the gas station, recalling the headline.

 **SUNRISE TELEGRAM**

 **Mon, March 12, 1996**

 **LUNAR EXPLOSION**

 **The world is still in shock after yesterday's explosion that has left our Moon with huge cracks, visible to the naked eye from Earth.**

 **Scientists say that while it may look dangerous, there is no need for concern; the cracks are surface-level only, and the explosion will have no serious consequences.**

 **The cause of the event is still unknown. Many point to one of the world's largest tech corporations, Sidereal Plexus, that was rumored to launch a mining operation on the Moon earlier this year. A spokesman from the company has denied those claims. "Yes, we were preparing to dig for Helium-3 this autumn, but I assure you we haven't even started."**

" **Now, of course, the whole operation is going to be halted until further notice", he adds.**

 **Other experts believe the explosion was caused by an undetected meteor that crashed into the Moon. Whatever the case might be, the governments of the world urge people to remain calm.**

* * *

 **25 more minutes of walking later…**

 **04:26 PM (3 hours, 34 minutes Remaining)**

" **We're back! "** I announced as we walked inside the hideout.

"Glad you made it back okay." David sighed.

"Plus, you still have the flamethrower, according to David, and we need to light the fire for the night." Cate remarked.

Null simply equipped the flamethrower, aimed at the plank and papers in the fireplace, and squeezed the trigger, sending a burst of flame which lit the fuel on fire.

"Now, all we can do is wait." David looked at Null's dirty white hospital gown with concern. "Are you sure you'll be okay without a coat, Null? I can still give you mine."

Null shook his head, pulled the two towels out from the PAC-PIM, and wrapped them around his head, before sitting down a safe distance from the fire in the fireplace - between the gas and electrical heaters.

"Okay, if you insist…"

* * *

 **100%**

 **It was cold already during the day, but when the sun disappeared behind the horizon, the temperature dropped even lower.**

 **It got so cold that everything in the area that was alive and hadn't found a shelter was frozen almost instantly.**

 **You found shelter in a house, hoping it would save you from the wave of cold death…**

 **The front door was closed. This weakened the wave of cold by 2% of the initial freezing power.**

 **98%**

 **The back door was closed. This weakened the wave of cold by 2% of the initial freezing power.**

 **96%**

 **The window on the ground floor was covered with a silver thermal blanket. The thermal blanket was taped with duct tape.**

 **As a result, that window blocked 6% of the initial cold wave.**

 **90%**

 **The window on the upper floor was covered with a thick blanket. The blanket was taped to the wall with duct tape.**

 **As a result, that window blocked 6% of the initial cold wave.**

 **84%**

 **The window in the bathroom was covered with a thick blanket. The blanket was taped to the wall with duct tape.**

 **As a result, that window blocked 6% of the initial cold wave.**

 **78%**

 **You put a restaurant flag in the opening in the ceiling.**

 **With a large hole in the attic, the hatch was an important air-flow route. It stopped 6% of the initial cold wave.**

 **72%**

 **The fire was burning in the fireplace.**

 **It was generating a lot of heat, countering 30% of the initial cold wave.**

 **42%**

 **During the night a sudden strong gust of wind almost put the fire out…**

 **You had a lot of spare kindling for such an occasion: to relight the fire or make the flame bigger. You didn't lose any heat.**

 **The basket by the fireplace was full of fuel to burn. It kept the fire going till dawn.**

 **You turned on an oven in the kitchen, hoping it would heat the air around it.**

 **Too bad you were staying in the other room, making it less effective.**

 **As a result, the oven raised the temperature a bit, dispersing about 7% of the initial freezing wind power.**

 **35%**

 **You plugged in an electric heater in the main room.**

 **The hot air it blew raised the temperature around it, deducting 22% of the initial cold wave.**

 **13%**

 **A portable gas heater was placed in one of the rooms.**

 **The warmth from the gas heater dispersed about 24% of the initial freezing air.**

 **0%**

 **Summary:**

 **It wasn't as bad as you thought it would be. Conditions outside were harsh, but in your hideout everything was absolutely fine. It got a bit chilly, but you didn't even need to put the coat on.**

 **You were able to rest much more comfortably than you thought you would.**

 **David: [+5 kg permanent carry weight bonus]**

 **_null: [+5 permanent STR bonus]**

* * *

 **\- CU$T0M GAME PARAMETER$ -**

 **Disks: B0th d** _ **I**_ **sks were u** _ **S**_ **ed**

 **Day 1: Spide** _ **R**_ **s**

 **Day 2: Freezing Wa** _ **V**_ **e**

 **Day 3: Th** _ **U**_ **nderst0rm**

 **Day 4: [̵̡͂͘͝E̴̗̤̚R̸̺͔̈́R̵̪̜̈́́̀0̷̢̣̓̑̽Ŗ̸̈̓͂]̴̣͋̎̊**

 **Start**

* * *

 **(A/N: Told you Day 2 was coming VERY SOON! :D**

 **Day 3 coming ALMOST as soon!**

 **Please Favorite, Follow, Review, PM, keep the profanity to a minimum, check out Mixed Data and Mixed DLC, if you haven't already, and I'll see you in the Game(s)!**

 **-poaling12**


	8. Chapter 8: To

Chapter 8: to

 **(A/N: I found this chapter to be mostly talking, compared to before. What will happen?**

 **Let's find out - ON TO THE CHAPTER!**

 **Disclaimers: I do not own Don't Escape: 4 Days to Survive, Scriptwelder does. I only own my character(s)**

"External Voice."

' _Internal Voice/Thoughts.'_

 _ **Null's Texting**_

" **Pami's External Voice. "**

" _ **Pima's System Voice. "**_

 **System/PAC-Boy/Documents**

* * *

 _The hideout was silent, save for our footsteps, for a split moment._

 _However, something was VERY different - we could feel it behind us._

" _Stairs…?" David became perplexed upon turning and seeing a staircase, flashing and looking as though it wasn't quite fully there. "This is new."_

 _He thought for a moment, then walked up the steps, as I followed behind him._

 _At the top, we entered a room that seemed familiar, in multiple ways._

 _It looked like the bedroom of the hideout - with the bed and window in the right positions, but the wallpaper, the painting on the wall, even the single lamp above the bed, they felt familiar to me in a different way._

 _Like I'd seen them elsewhere, during my forgotten past._

 _On the bed, a small, white tiger patiently sat, while the woman we had buried stood next to it._

 _David walked up to the pair, his face pale, while I strained to focus on the familiarity of the room's theme, trying to remember._

" _Hello, honey." The woman greeted._

" _Meow!" The tiger mewled._

" _What's wrong?" The woman who seemed to be Maggie asked. "You look like you've seen a ghost."_

" _Or a talking tiger, tee-hee." The tiger added, giggling._

 _David remained still and silent for a moment, before looking at the white feline on the bed. "Excuse me … who are you?"_

" _Meow. I'm Cody's plushie tiger."_

 _David looked confused at the tiger's answer. "Cody's … plushie tiger?"_

" _Yes, meow." The tiger continued. "Actually, I'm more like an echo of Cody's memory of me."_

 _The man's confusion seemed to only increase, and even I had admitted my full attention to the anomalous pair. "An echo of his memory…?"_

" _That sounds terribly weird, I know." The tiger confessed. "Meow."_

 _Then, he turned to the woman._

" _I know you…" He spoke carefully. "I … buried you … You're Barry's wife."_

" _Yes you did bury me, honey." She nodded. "I'm quite grateful for that."_

" _Um, no problem." David seemed unsure of how to react to that response._

 _Then, I saw a hint on his expression, like he'd met them before. "What do you mean I forget quite a lot of things?"_

" _Exactly that. Meow!" The plush toy said. "Your head is, err, not good at holding all those memories from previous times."_

 _We blinked. "Wait, what?"_

" _Meow, meow." The tiger raised his paws, calling for patience. "Just try to remember this time, okay? Focus, meow!"_

 _In that moment, it seemed that David's thought process finally caught up with the situation. "It's a dream…?"_

" _Yes, darling." 'Maggie' confirmed. "It's quite obvious once you look around and think for a second."_

 _I nodded in agreement._

" _You've been here before, but your memory is failing you." She went on. "It's from dream-travelling."_

'Dream… travelling?'

" _You've gotta watch out as you do it." 'Maggie' warned. "It can lead to dementia."_

 _David put a hand to his forehead. "I don't understand…"_

" _I hope you will, because a lot depends on it."_

 _In that moment, something seemed to click inside David. "If I've been through all this before, then is that how my dreams have told me what would happen- how I know Cate, Cody, and Barry?"_

" _Of course, meow!" The pair nodded. "These dreams are echoes of your past memories, dear."_

 _David then turned and looked at me. "But then, why is it that I didn't recognise Null? If we've all been through this before, then shouldn't he be familiar as well?"_

" _You didn't know him because this is the first time you've ever met, meow."_

" _Yes, your new friend is a bit of a special case." Maggie explained. "As far as any of us can tell, he never existed in this world to begin with."_

 _He blinked. "He never existed in this world?"_

" _Yes, it would seem that Null came from an entirely separate world." 'Maggie' spoke._

 _After a moment, I nodded._ 'Close enough.'

 _He stared, then sighed. "I guess I can't blame you for not telling us. We didn't ask, after all."_

 _David turned back to the pair. "What's gonna happen? Can you tell me?"_

" _You know very well." 'Maggie' smiled._

" _Yeah, you've gotta remember by now!" The tiger mewled._

 _David, in that moment, seemed to be focusing on some far off place._

" _Sidereal Plexus…" He spoke softly. "The fall…"_

" _That's it!" The plushie tiger cheered._

" _You just have to stop Barry from going with you." 'Maggie' spoke._

" _Or Cody." The tiger added._

" _Either way, you know what to do." 'Maggie' reassured. "You've done this before."_

 _Right then, I heard a set of footsteps in the darkness behind us._

 _Turning, I saw a familiar pair of white eyes, this time on a silhouette given form, walking out of the shadows._

" _You also know HE is going to be right behind you now." The tiger warned._

" _Yeah…" David turned to look at the figure. "What is that thing anyway?"_

" _Night Folk." 'Maggie' answered quickly and simply._

" _One of the Shadow People." The tiger clarified._

" _Run, David." 'Maggie' urged. "Run."_

" _Meow!" The plushie tiger yowled._

 _We didn't need to be told twice, as we both quickly left the room and the Night Folk, returning to the room from before._

 _For whatever reason, the figure did not make any attempt to pursue us down the stairs._

 _Steeling ourselves, we slowly walked toward the window, preparing for the painful premonition of the danger to come._

 _*SHATTER*_

 _The glass gave way to a spray of what seemed like water at first._

 _But every drop that made contact with my body burned and melted my flesh._

 _Looking at David for a split moment, I saw that he was in a far worse state - having taken the brunt of the deluge._

 _I don't know if David tried to escape the acid storm then, but I know I did._

 _I'd only hobbled a few steps, however, when I felt a new pain altogether._

 _*BOOM*_

 _I had been struck by lightning, and I felt all control of my body's muscles give way to uncontrollable spasms, as I collapsed on the floor._

 _Unable to move, I was helpless to escape the burning rain as it continued to melt my body._ _ **Every cell melting into a cellular soup, right off my bones, and I felt EVERY SINGLE ONE.**_

 _ **MakeitstopMAKEITSTOPMAKEITSTOPMAKEITSTOP!**_

 _ **WAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUPWAKEUP!**_

* * *

 **(P.O.V.: Pami)  
08:00 AM (12 hours, 0 minutes Remaining)**

As Cody carried Null's PAC-Boy and myself back inside, having finished constructing a snowman from the remaining snow with Cate and Barry, I saw Null jolt awake from his sleep on the floor, where he lay through the entire night.

He may have lacked a SOUL to properly feel emotion, but his expression looked downright haunted.

"Another one…" David groaned as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes, still sitting against the side of the fireplace.

"So … you had another bad dream?" Cate guessed, looking at the waking pair.

"Yeah," David nodded. "Not a very pleasant one…"

From the look of pained concentration on his face, I surmised he was working to recall all the details he could. "There was a storm. A thunderstorm. The rain was burning, like it was acid. And lightning was striking all around."

' _ **Acid-Thunderstorm, definitely NOT pleasant for man or machine! '**_

"I see." Cate nodded, a thoughtful look on her face. "We'll have to prepare for it then."

" **Cody, could you please hand me back to Null before you drop me in your excitement? "**

The boy, still bouncing on his feet, quickly passed the PAC-Boy to Null, before he turned back to David with an eager look.

"What is it Cody?" David noticed Cody's fidgeting. "You seem excited."

"I have something important to tell you!" Cody burst. "It's like … super-duper important!"

He ceased his bouncing, and donned a determined expression. "We have to prepare for tonight! Even more than yesterday!"

"Yes, Cody." David nodded. "I know…"

"But you don't know _why_ yet!"

"I don't?" David was puzzled. "I thought…"

"Shush!" Cody cut him off. "I had a dream. There where like _dozens_ of zombies coming toward the house. They wanted my brain! We have to protect it! I don't want to be eaten…"

Null was now looking at Cody seriously, even as he clipped the PAC-Boy on his arm.

 _ **Did they look like Corrupted?**_

" **Did the zombies look glitchy to you? "** I translated.

The boy stared at us with wide eyes. "Yeah, did you see them too?!"

Null was completely still, as we all stared at him.

Then, he reached into the PAC, pulling out the rifle, sledgehammer, flamethrower, and bear-traps.

 _ **THEY WILL NOT PENETRATE THIS STRONGHOLD TONIGHT.**_

I held up my hands. " **Easy, easy there Null! There's going to be an acid-thunderstorm, so maybe they'll be melted by the rain, if not struck by lightning? "**

Null just stared at me like I'd grown two extra heads.

"Cody, Null, Pami …" David sighed. "Zombies are not real. You had a bad dream, that's all."

"What? No! Why?" Cody cried. "Your dreams are better than mine?!"

 _ **BAD DREAM OR NOT, IF THERE IS ANY POSSIBILITY OF CORRUPTED COMING TO STORM THIS SANCTUARY, WE MUST PREPARE FOR THEM.**_

" **… I'm not repeating that, Null. "** I deadpanned.

"I'm not saying they are better…"

"So you believe me that there _are_ zombies coming after me!"

"No one is chasing you, Cody…" David turned to Null. "And Null, put those away before someone gets hurt!"

Hesitantly, Null relented and returned the weaponry to the PAC-PIM.

"I hope zombies will think you are tasty…" Cody grumbled.

"David, there's something I have to tell you." Cate interjected before the argument could escalate any further. "I also had a dream."

Null's head snapped in her direction, while David blinked. "You saw what I saw?"

She shook her head. "No … I saw a city. I know where to find the spaceship, David. Or at least, I know how to look for it."

" **Thank GAIA! "**

"What? Where?" David was hanging on her every word now.

"Sidereal." Cate explained. "The corporation that built those ships had a number of outposts and offices across the … well, everywhere, actually. In my dream I saw one of them in the deserted city in the southwest."

"It was just an office," She clarified. "But if we get there, we might find the location of the spaceship outpost."

"So … you don't know for certain."

Cate looked David right in the eyes, unwavering. "David, have I doubted your dreams for one second? I need you to trust me on this one. We've gotta get there as soon as possible. Before we spend any time preparing for what's coming tonight."

While Cate was talking, Null had packed up the gas-heater, the electrical heater, and the extension cord.

"Alright," David relented. "We'll take the truck to go check it out."

We walked out past the snowman, with sticks for arms, and coal and a carrot for its smiling face, and Cody sang as we walked.

"I went to the animal fair!~ The birds and tigers were there!~ The big baboon by the light of the moon~..."

"...was combing his auburn hair?" Cody finished.

"Huh? Yes!" Cody beamed up at Cate. "I didn't know you knew that song!"

She simply shrugged. "I didn't know either."

* * *

 **13 minutes of driving later…**

 **8:13 AM (11 hours, 47 minutes Remaining)**

From what David told us, and from what we could see as we drove, the city didn't survive even the first weeks after the apocalypse.

He said that, hit by earthquakes, it was quickly abandoned, only to be swallowed by sands after the climate changed.

He never liked the idea of going there. I couldn't find it in my to blame him; it was like a massive tombstone emerging from the wasteland, luring travelers so it could become a grave for more victims.

Yet, according to Cate, this was the place we had to go to.

As we climbed out of the truck, a short ways from a half-buried office building brandishing the blue words "SIDEREAL PLEXUS," Cate spoke. "This is the place. Any questions?"

" **I know this obviously isn't the rocket launch site, so I'm guessing we're just here to look for something? "**

"Yes. Coordinates. We need to know where the launchpad outpost is located. Look for any documents or maps you can find. It's gotta be somewhere here."

"What are your connections with Sidereal Plexus?" David asked.

She hesitated. "I … don't know what you mean."

"Well, how did you know about the spaceship thing in the first place?"

Cate looked uncomfortable. "Can we have this conversation another time? It's a long story."

"Well then, no more questions, for now."

"Let's move then."

Before we could start our march, however, David went over to Barry, while Null retrieved the rope, sledgehammer, and duct tape from the PAC-PIM.

" **What are those for? "**

 _ **In case of a fall.**_

With that, he taped the rope around his waist, creating a makeshift harness, whilst storing the sledgehammer and PAC in the quick-access.

" **… I guess it can't hurt to prepare… "** I trailed off as I saw Barry walk back over to the truck.

" **Why is Barry staying behind? "**

"I told him to." David answered me. "I just… have a bad feeling about this place."

With that, Null nodded, stored the PAC in the PAC-Boy, and followed the group up the sand dune to the roof of the crumbling building.

* * *

 **5 minutes of uphill marching/climbing later…**

 **8:18 AM (11 hours, 42 minutes Remaining)**

Once our group reached the top of the sandune, we walked across the sand-covered roof, towards a large hole in the concrete wall.

Then…

 ***GROAN***

The metal supports of the big blue letter "R" of the Sidereal brand name began to give way at the worst possible time.

"WATCH OUT!" Both Cate and I shouted near simultaneously as the heavy object fell towards us.

Cate leapt back towards the way we came, whilst David, Cody and Null leapt in the direction of the wall opening.

As the letter impacted the roof, the seemingly solid surface beneath us shattered, leaving a gaping maw, multiple stories deep.

We hadn't been standing on a rooftop, but a _skylight_ , hidden beneath a coat of sand!

David was fortunate enough to have gotten to a stable section of the skylight, Cate was on the far side away from us, Cody was dangling from the edge on David's side, and Null-

Null was hanging a third of the way down by the rope, hooked to a part of the broken framework, almost halfway between Cate and David.

"Oh g _ **osh**_ …" Cate gasped at the precarious situation in which we'd found ourselves.

Within moments, David was pulling Cody up to safety.

However, the metal Null was hooked onto gave way, the hook sliding off.

"NULL!" I couldn't tell whether it was me, Cate, Cody, or David who screamed, or maybe it had been all of us at once.

Most people would have screamed whilst falling to likely death, but Null was absolutely mute as he fell down, and impacted the hard tile floor of the lobby.

The sounds of bones cracking only increased my panic as I pulled up his Stats.

 **(User Data)**

 **[Skills]** **(Stats)**

 **Name:_null**

 **Race: Human**

 **Title(s): Hollow Gamer**

 **Level: 1: 0.0%**

 **HP: 3/75 (VIT * 15)**

 **MP: Locked (? Not Found) ((INT * 15) * 0)**

 **HPR: +0 every 30 seconds ((VIT * 0.1) + 0.5) * 0 (Fractured Rib Cage)**

 **MPR: Locked (? Not Found) (((WIS * 0.1) + 0.5) * 0)**

 **STR: 15**

 **DEX: 5**

 **VIT: 5**

 **INT: 5**

 **WIS: 5**

 **LUC: 5**

 **Status:**

 **Minor Bone Fracturing (4:57): Left Arm (Crippled until Healed)**

 **Minor Bone Fracturing (4:57): Right Arm (Crippled until Healed)**

 **Minor Bone Fracturing (4:57): Left Leg (Crippled until Healed)**

 **Minor Bone Fracturing (4:57): Right Leg (Crippled until Healed)**

 **Minor Bone Fracturing (4:57): Ribcage (HPR disabled until Healed)**

"NULL! PAMI! CAN YOU HEAR US?!" David called down, frantic.

" **{ NULL IS ALIVE, BUT HE IS HURT, BADLY! }"** I cried up to him. " **{ SEVERAL OF HIS BONES ARE FRACTURED! }"**

"WE'LL HURRY AND LOOK FOR A WAY DOWN TO YOU! HOLD ON!"

I looked down at my holographic hands, lamenting how Null's PAC-Boy used an early image projector, rather than a hard light or instant matter projector. As I was, I had no way to physically help him as he lay in pain.

" **{ Null, listen to me, David is looking for a way down, you just need to hang on until he gets here! }"**

He looked about to attempt typing a response, only to wince in pain - tears beading from his eyes.

" **{ Don't move! Just stay still while David finds a way down here! }"** I cried, unable to do more than attempt verbal reassurance.

" **{ When David gets here, we'll be able to get you back on your feet! }"** I continued talking, trying to both distract Null from his pain and convince myself to calm down. " **{ We'll find the location of the launch outpost, make our way there, fly to the lunar station, and get out of this world before it's all obliterated! You've made it this far… }"**

I curled up next to his right shoulder, my emotional emulation software causing me to sniffle.

" **{ … so please don't give up now… }"**

* * *

 **5 minutes of stressful, painful waiting later…**

 **8:23 AM (11 hours, 37 minutes Remaining)**

 **The following Status Afflictions have healed:**

 **Minor Bone Fracturing: Left Arm**

 **Minor Bone Fracturing: Right Arm**

 **Minor Bone Fracturing: Left Leg**

 **Minor Bone Fracturing: Right Leg**

 **Minor Bone Fracturing: Ribcage**

" **{ Okay, your bones should have healed up now. }"** I sighed in relief. " **{ Do you think you can try moving - slowly? }"**

Null nodded and strained to sit up, wincing as he did.

" **{ Okay, the pain should fully heal in approximately thirty-six minutes, but you're still in rough shape, so don't strain yourself, okay? }"**

He once more nodded, before we heard quick footsteps in the corridor ahead.

"Null!" David came running out, followed by Cody. "You're alive, thank g _ **osh**_!"

"When you fell, it was really scary!" The child cried.

" **{ Agreed! }"** I phased to Null's right shoulder as David helped him up to his feet, supporting him under his arm. " **{ So PLEASE tell me you found the location of the outpost - and hopefully some other useful info and inventory in addition! }"**

David nodded. "Yes, I know where it is now, but let's get Null back out and into the truck before we do anything else."

With that, David lead Null through the opposite hallway, followed by Cody.

* * *

"It's good to see you three back." Barry greeted us as we exited through an unlocked - and thankfully unburied - door. "Cate told me what happened. If you hadn't warned me to stay… How did you know…? Dreams?"

"Yes. Dreams." David confirmed as he continued leading an injured Null to the red pickup, now assisted by Barry. "There might still be something worth checking out in that building. I think it's safe to go together now, Barry, after we get Null to the truck to rest up."

"If you say it's important…" Barry did not disagree.

"But first…" David continued, turning to look at Cate as we approached the vehicle. "Cate."

"David." She acknowledged. "You've got the location?"

"Yeah. I've found a map. Thanks for your concern. It's not as though Null almost died, after all." He drawled, propping Null in the passenger seat.

"Why? You're fine, and Null didn't die." Cate held out her hand, expectantly. "Show me it."

"Take a look." David opened his journal, displaying a hand drawn map, and pointed at a little marker in the south-eastern area. I also saw a marking situated to the north of what I recognized as the hideout's location, and added both locations to the PAC's mapping system data. "The launchpad is here in the mountains. We can go right away."

Null shook his head, and Cate looked at David, confused. "What about your dream? The storm, acid rain, thunder."

"What about them? If we get to the launchpad fast, they won't be our problem."

"I … don't know, David. You and Null both HAD that dream. It might mean we won't escape them just like that."

" **{ She has a point. The wind is blowing from the east and the storm will almost certainly come from that direction. If we go there today, we might be caught in the open before we find the ship and we'd be launching into acid and lightning at that point - assuming the rocket is in perfect condition and without the need of repairs! }"**

"She's right." Cate nodded. "We have to wait for this storm to pass in our base. We have to stay one more night."

David looked back at the office building. "How about we stay here, then?"

" **{ Bad idea. }"** I immediately shot his suggestion down.

"The storm will get to us here, too." Cate agreed whilst giving David one of those looks. "You've seen weather anomalies before, David. I'd rather be in our reinforced base than here in this death trap, flooded with sand AND acid rain water."

David paused, then nodded, turning back to me and Null in the truck. "You rest up here, we'll go back in to check something, then leave."

Null and I both nodded, and the group turned, walking back to the crumbling building.

" **{ Null… }"** He craned to look at me as I spoke softly. " **{ Please do not terrify me like that, again. }"**

He blinked, then nodded, and retrieved the full PAC from the PAC-Boy, storing the grappling hook back inside.

* * *

 **10 minutes of waiting later…**

 **8:33 AM (11 hours, 27 minutes Remaining)**

When the rest of our group finally came walking back from the office building, I could see that there was more inventory being carried in David's pack.

" **{ What did you find? }"** I asked, and David slipped off his pack.

"A rock, an I.D. Badge, a few stacks of interesting documents, a rifle silencer, and-"

" **{ A rifle silencer? }"** I looked at him in surprise. " **{ What was a rifle silencer doing in an office building? }"**

"Probably the same reason why there was a dead guy at the desk." David handed the aforementioned items to Null, before pulling out a pair of floppy disks, one red and labeled "PHASE CTRL LITE" and the other blue and labeled "MEM BOOST."

"We also found these floppy disks… They feel so familiar… and important…" David then handed them over to Null. "Something tells me we can't afford to lose these, so I'd like you to hold onto them for me, okay?"

Null simply nodded and accepted the disks.

"Cate?" David turned to the redhead.

"Yeah?"

"Mayweather." David looked at her with certainty. "Catherine Mayweather."

She blinked. "Huh?"

"Is that your name?" David spoke, his voice neutral.

"Why do you ask?" Catherine Mayweather crossed her arms.

"I've seen it in one of the documents. You worked for Sidereal, didn't you?"

"..." Cate was silent for a moment. "... Briefly. I didn't even know where this office was before the dream I just had. And I definitely wasn't important enough to earn my place on the lifeboat, it appears."

"Why hide it?" David asked her. "Why conceal that information?"

"Isn't it obvious, David?" Cate glanced at the office building, then up at the shattered moon, and back at David. "Sidereal caused it. All of it."

"The Moon…?" David looked somewhat shocked.

"Yes. And … more than that." Cate admitted. "I wasn't directly involved. But you can imagine I don't want to be shot in the face by a pair of strangers for mentioning that my employer has accidentally destroyed the world."

"What else are you hiding?" David pressed.

"Nothing. Jeez, David." Cate spoke, exasperated.

"I'm sorry, but I think you know more than you say." He defended. "That turned out to be the truth in the past … and I think it's still the case."

"Alright." Cate huffed. "You don't have to trust me if you don't want to. Just help me get to that ship."

David sighed. "So, from the documents I've found it seems people from this office were evacuated to the launchpad. Wouldn't that mean the ship is long gone?"

' _ **{ That would be disheartening - having come so far only to realize our only chance is already gone! }'**_

"It's not gone." Cate reassured.

"How do you know?"

"Dreams, David. I also keep having them."

He nodded. "Where do you think those dreams come from? How is it even possible?"

Cate thought for a moment. "I believe those are visions… ...sent by someone."

David shook his head. "I'd think you're crazy if I didn't have the same thoughts myself…"

Cate gave a light chuckle. "Maybe we're both crazy then."

" **{ That's possible, but unlikely. }"**

* * *

As we drove away from the buried building - almost a tomb - Null pulled out one of the document stacks, reading through it.

 **Patient: Nathan Harvez**

 **The patient has recently joined the Travelers team. With the first training finished, he was admitted to the practical part. Promising results. Sleep control is at a level sufficient enough to visit other facilities in the near future.**

 **He is in good health, and all indicators are normal.**

 **His mental state is currently … questionable.**

 **The patient feels strong anxiety after waking up, since the past few days he has been experiencing a feeling of someone's presence. This is probably due to a Seeing incident during the last controlled dreaming.**

 **Patient's testimony:**

" **It was there. Almost for sure. It stood in the shadow. It was looking at me. I did not see it at first … but I felt it … I could not move. I wanted, I tried … but I was paralyzed. I was not even sure if I was still asleep or awake. Then it moved. No trained solutions helped. I lost control. So that's probably reality, right? If I could not do anything, it must have been reality. If so … why was he there? I woke up, after all!"**

 **Recommendations: Conduct psychiatric tests again. Move the patient away from dreamers for an indefinite period. Prescribe sedatives.**

 **The patient has also made a sketch of an encountered creature.**

The next page showed a vaguely humanoid silhouette, with two large, white eyes.

I detected a slight yet significant drop in Null's heart rate upon seeing the drawing.

" **{ What's wrong? }"**

 _ **That attempted to attack me and David in our dream last night.**_

" **{ I thought the nightmare was acid rain? }"** I tilted my head, confused.

 _ **Yes, but this was something else.**_


End file.
